Little Red Riding Salvatore
by rocketstar
Summary: Scarlett Salvatore wasn't raised like normal little girls. She grew up knowing that things do go bump in the night, that there were monsters under her bed and most importantly; two of her uncles were vampires and that she had to keep the family secret.
1. Chapter 1

Scarlett Salvatore climbed out of her car and walked up the driveway to her home, it was far too much of beautiful day to be driving and Scarlett would have much preferred to walk home from school but given the fact that she lived way on the outskirts of town in her family's boarding house, it wasn't that much of a choice. Unless she wanted to leave for school an hour earlier than she usually did. Walking through the front door Scarlett found that it was unusually quiet given the fact that there were three guests currently staying with including a couple. "Hello anyone here? Uncle Zach, I'm home…"

Moment's later footsteps could be heard and Scarlett's Uncle Zach came out from the direction of the kitchen with a look of surprise on his face. "Scarlett what are you doing home so early? I thought you had a shift at the grill today?

"They didn't need me today so my shift is getting moved to the day after tomorrow, which is fine by me. I wasn't really in the mood to work today but I know they'll want me to work the whole summer so I can't really complain. And it's not like I have anything better to do but don't worry Uncle Zach, I'll be able to work at the Grill and still be able to help out around here." Scarlett replied as she dropped her bag on the floor, like the name suggested the Salvatore boarding house did board actual guests and Scarlett's Uncle Zach ran it and Scarlett helped out. It had been the two of them for the last eight years ever since Zach had become Scarlett's legal guardian after her dad and his elder brother Gabriel had died eight years ago.

"How was your last day of school?" Zach questioned as he looked around uneasily.

"Same old, it's not like anything ever happens to me at school but I'm glad that sophomore year is finally over. This year has gone by really slowly and I'm kind of sick of everyone at school pointing and looking at me and saying 'oh, look there's Scarlett Salvatore that weird girl who lives in the creepy Salvatore house'. Why did our ancestors have to settle in this town? All this town is good for is pointing, staring and gossiping…" Scarlett replied with a sigh.

"I don't think this house is creepy, I think it's home and your not weird Scarlett."

"I'm your only niece, you have to say that Uncle Zach." Scarlett quipped before looking around. "So it's rather quiet around here which odd, where is everyone? Have they all gone for some reason? Or have they made the mistake of venturing into town?"

"A-about that Scarlett… something happened whilst you were at school and I had to kick everyone out because _he's_ back. Uncle Stefan has come to visit us." Zach announced and Scarlett could feel a blood vessel in her neck threatening to burst. So not the news she wanted to hear.

"Why is he here Uncle Zach?" Scarlett questioned slowly, she hadn't seen her 'Uncle' Stefan since her father died and with good reason. The Salvatore family had a father strained relationship with each other to phrase it simply and they put they the dysfunctional in dysfunctional family. Everyone said that their family wasn't normal and yeah some families had black sheep's, drunks and weird things. But Scarlett's family took things to an entire different level because she was related to vampires. Actual blood sucking vampires and Stefan was however many times he was her great uncle was one of them as well as his brother Damon. It never node well for the Salvatore's when one of their relatives came to visit because someone in their family tended to die. Last person was Scarlett's father, the person before that was her great grandfather Joseph who was killed at the boarding house in 1953 by Damon. That's why their visits weren't exactly welcomed. Damon had caused a bloodbath here in Mystic Falls during the fifties.

"Uncle Stefan is just here to visit, that's all." Zach replied and by the tone in his voice he wasn't to happy about this either. This town had a history with vampires, stemming back to when Stefan and Damon were turned and ever since, the Salvatore's had been keeping that a secret. It was a black cloud all over their heads. Growing up Scarlett had been taught everything that her family knew about vampires whilst still being red fairytales at bedtime. She'd been wearing a necklace filled with vervain since she was eight and started drinking vervain in tea from the age of eight. Scarlett knew everything about this town and vampires, about the founders' council and how the 27 civilians burned in fells church were actually vampires who had been terrorizing the town in 1864. The same time her uncles had been turned into vampires.

"What about Uncle Damon? Is he going to drop by and visit." Scarlett angrily asked, her and Zach had managed to live normal lived for eight years and now it was going to be ruined by her stupid relatives who did nothing but cause death and destruction whenever they came to town.

"He says he doesn't know where Damon is and that they haven't seen each other in almost fifteen years." Zach explained and Scarlett just scoffed, she knew the stories about her uncles and how Damon was hell bent on ruining Stefan's life for the rest of eternity. Just because Stefan hadn't seen his brother in fifteen years, it didn't mean that Damon didn't know where he was.

"Just what we need our blood sucking relative strolling back into town… and it's not like we can stop them from coming in, because someone made the mistake of inviting them in." Scarlett said with a shake of our head, she did so not want to be dealing with her creature of the night relatives at the moment. She was now officially on summer vacation, the only thing Scarlett wanted to be doing was working through the summer whilst hanging out at the house with the guests, Lucrezia, Uncle Zack. Not constantly looking over her shoulder, paranoid that one of her relatives wanted to talk a big fat bite out of her jugular.

"At least it's Uncle Stefan."

Yeah. The uncle who didn't drink human blood but instead fed on animals, it wasn't the most reassuring thing but at least it was something. Although she'd have to keep a closer eye on her cat Lucrezia or lock her in her room whenever Stefan was in the house. This was going to be very annoying, seeing as she hadn't in eight years and even then they weren't on the best of terms with him being a vampire and all. "I guess you have a point…"


	2. Chapter 2

As annoyed as Scarlett was about one her 'Uncles' that the family avoided talking about being in town and staying in her house, she happened to find herself curious and a few hours later she found herself upstairs and standing outside his bedroom door. She knew from Zach that Stefan wasn't in the house and so she pushed open the door ever so slightly and walked in. Scarlett had never come into Stefan's room much, in fact she made an effort to avoid it completely and they kept it off limits to boarders. So she didn't know what to expect, the only thing that she knew was that all of Stefan's things were there; every time he visited he dropped things off. Scarlett wasn't sure what she was expecting, blood stained walls maybe? Decomposing body or in Stefan's case bunny sitting in the corner. But it had none of that. It looked relatively normal for a hundred and sixty one year old vampire. "Meow…"

"Yeah, it's creeping me out too but just give me a few minutes and I assure you that we can leave and never come into this room again." Scarlett said her cat Lucrezia as she walked around the room and picked random items up, glancing at them briefly before putting them back down again. It seemed like Stefan sure liked to read. But really that wasn't important. Scarlett wasn't even sure what she was looking for as clearly nothing in here screamed I'm a vampire and I'm going to murder you despite the fact I'm your relative. "Hmm… there's nothing here, let's go Lucrezia…"

"Lucrezia?"

"Shit!" Scarlett hissed as jumped a mile in the air and felt her heart was about to fall out of her chest and she took a deep breath as she tried to get over the initial shock. Before turning around to see a man or rather a young man standing behind her. Scarlett was pretty sure that this was 'Uncle Stefan'. You'd think you would remember what your uncle looks like especially is he was a vampire but it was kind of foggy to Scarlett. She couldn't remember when she first met him and the last time she had seen him she was eight years old and back then she had the attention of a hummingbird. But he seemed familiar and if he knew he was to this room, it had to be him. "Sneaking up on people, seriously? I see you don't tend to avoid the stereotype much…"

"I didn't recognize you there for a moment Scarlett, you've grown up a lot since the last time I saw you." Stefan began.

"Yeah, one tends to do that in an eight year period unless they're a vampire like you Uncle Stefan." Scarlett sarcastically replied, it was weird calling him that as physically he was barely older than her. So calling someone her uncle when he looked about the same age as her bothered Scarlett.

"I guess so."

"Lucrezia come here." Scarlett called as her cat sniffed Stefan's ankle, much to her irritation as it was a tell sign that her cat like him. Last thing she needed was her companion becoming besties with the vampire uncle. First her home and now her cat, what was next? Her job or car?

Stefan looked surprised. "Lucrezia?"

"After Lucrezia Borgia. I'm a bit of a history buff and realized we had a lot in common, having connections to Italy, coming from crazy dysfunctional families who have very dark secrets that they don't want anyone to find out." Scarlett replied before rolling her eyes and taking a deep breath, she couldn't believe she was talking to her vampire uncle about her cat. But she had enough for that, she needed answers. "What are you doing here Uncle Stefan?"

"Didn't Zach tell you that I came to visit?" Stefan asked.

Scarlett let out a weary laugh. "He did but I don't understand why. It's been eight years since you were last here and now you just suddenly decide to turn up and visit us. Last time you were here, things didn't end well and it took me years to recover from what happened. Uncle Zack and I have been living as close to a normal life as we can get these last eight years and now you're here and I just have this strange inkling that my life is somehow going to end up how it was eight years ago."

"I'm just here to visit you and Zack for a few days, that's all Scarlett." Stefan said.

"Funny. Because the last time you can to visit us, your dear family my dad ended up killing himself because of he couldn't handle keeping this secret any longer, he couldn't take the constant worrying anymore because it never goes away. If I'm not worried about Uncle Zach killing himself over it then he's worried about me killing myself." Scarlett said as she awkwardly looked around the room. "My mom left when I was three years old because she didn't want to be apart of the Salvatore's big bad secret anymore. This family cannot take anymore of this Uncle Stefan."

"I know. I promise you Scarlett that I am not here to cause any trouble, nothing will happen whilst I'm here."

Scarlett would just wait and see about that so instead she turned the conversation in a different direction. "What about Uncle Damon? Is he joining us on this family reunion? Because if he is, I'd like to be given a heads up so Zach and I can leave town before he kills anymore of his relatives as the Salvatore numbers have been dwindling over the years. Given great grandpa Joseph's death, then grandpa's and most recently my father's, so you can see my worry when you arrive in town..."

"Damon hates small towns and there's no reason for him to come back her to Mystic Falls of all places. I don't think he'll come here Scarlett." Stefan said.

"Forgive me if don't I believe you. But it's not like I can stop you from staying here Uncle Stefan but please don't do anything to risk what normalcy Uncle Zack and I have had these last few years." Scarlett replied as she walked towards the door picking up Lucrezia on her way out. She may not like this but hopefully it would be over in the next few days and her life could return to somewhat normalcy.


	3. Chapter 3

Coming home from her shift from the Grill, it was still talking Scarlett sometime to adjust to the fact that the boarding house was so quiet. Last time it had been this quiet was eight years ago when the family shut down the boarding house when Stefan last visited and Gabriel Salvatore killed himself. So far during the two days that dear old Uncle Stefan had been back in town he had mostly kept out of Scarlett's way and didn't force the conversation, for which she was grateful for. There was nothing worse then being forced to talk to someone you really didn't want to talk to, especially the vampire uncle who you blame for ruining your childhood. Who want to spend half their time reading old family journals when they could be outside making friends? Scarlett Salvatore was isolated just like the rest of her family, no friends. The only people she had for company were Lucrezia, Uncle Zach and whoever was boarding at the house. As Scarlett went upstairs towards her bedroom, she heard a loud bang coming from the direction of Stefan's room and when she went to investigate she walked into his room to see him soaking wet. "Uncle Stefan? What's going on and why are you wet?"

"T-there was an accident." Stefan replied a little breathlessly.

Scarlett's eyes widened in shock as she locked around the room until she spotted what she was looking for and moments later she handed Stefan a towel that was draped over a chair so he could dry himself off. "An accident? What happened?"

"A car went off wickery bridge and in the water…" Stefan began as he started wiping himself down before going over to a table in his room and picking up a photo and handing Scarlett a photograph. "A girl who looked just like this girl, was in the car with her parents."

The girl in photograph looked familiar to Scarlett even though it said Katherine 1864, but Scarlett know who Stefan was talking about as she knew a girl who looked just like this who she had gone to school with since she was a small child. Didn't know her personally but Scarlett knew of her. "That's Elena Gilbert, we go to school together and we're in the same grade, we had a few classes together this year… Are you telling me the Gilberts car went off Wickery Bridge? What happened?"

"I don't know. The car was fine one moment and then it lost control and straight into the water, I dove into help them. The girl and the mother was unconscious but father was still conscious and when I went to help him he refused and asked me to save his daughter. I got her to the bank and when I went back to get the parents, it was too late…" Stefan said as he started to dry himself off.

"Was there a boy with them? The Gilberts have a teenaged son, called Jeremy I think…" Scarlet wearily said, given her loner status coupled with her family's one she didn't really know people that well. Especially the other children from the founding families, she made an effort to avoid them at all possible costs. Most of them were annoying and pretentious, without the teenage hormones.

"No. It was just the three of them; I called an ambulance and waited until I heard the sirens before taking off. I figured that it was best if I didn't stick around to answer any questions…" Stefan replied with a slow shake of his head.

Scarlett took a deep breath before slowly making her way towards the door "Zach! I'm upstairs in Stefan's room; we need to talk to you!" she called out before running her hands through her hair, really could not believe that this happening. Two days and already someone was dead.

Moments later Zach came running into the room with a worried look on his face and glanced at Scarlett and Stefan before he finally spoke. "What's going on? What's happened?"

"You should get ready. In a little while you'll probably get a call from Mayor Lockwood or Sheriff Forbes telling you that there is an emergency founders meeting. When you get there they'll tell you that there's been a tragic accident and Mystic Falls has lost one of their own tonight as Mr and Mrs. Gilbert are dead because they died when their car went wickery bridge." Scarlett said with a small sigh.

"What? How did you know this?" Zach asked slowly.

"Stefan. He saw the whole thing, he even managed to save their daughter's life." Scarlett replied with a smile as despite Scarlett being convinced that her Uncle was only capable of bringing death and destruction wherever he came home, he saved a life tonight. Although two people had died but it was kind of a grey area. Zach opened his mouth to reply but the phone went off from downstairs, distracting him. "You should probably get that, I'm guess that is going to be the Mayor or the Sheriff."

"Okay." Zach said before leaving the room and his footsteps could be heard running down the stairs as the phone continued to ring and moments later it stopped.

"So your wet…" Scarlett began.

"Yes I am."

"I'll leave and let you dry off but you probably need a drink considering what you've just done so once your done, come on downstairs and I'll make you one. Zach's probably going to be gone a while so I figured maybe we could do this talking thing and get to know each other, you did after all came home to visit me in partial. I figure if I'm going to be seeing you over the years we might as get a bit further then the whole keeping out of each other's way and the small and awkward conversation." Scarlett stated as she made her way towards the door.

"Scarlett?" Stefan called out and Scarlett turned back on her heels.

"Yes Uncle Stefan?"

"Why are you doing this? You've made it clear that you're not exactly my biggest fan given everything that's happened to our family. Not that I blame you, you have every right to not want anything to do with me. I know that keeping this secret has put a strain on our family…" Stefan said.

"You did something good tonight, so I'm not going to write you off completely because of this vampire thing. But don't mistake this gesture as invitation to go and do something stupid because I figure out someway of killing you, Uncle or not…"


	4. Chapter 4

_My dearest Scarlett_

_I am so sorry. I'm sorry for being so weak and not having the strength to be strong and carry on for the sake of you. But I am so tired my darling daughter, tired of carrying this heavy burden that our family have kept hidden for the last 137 years. I simply cannot do it anymore. This isn't anyone's fault Scarlett, it just that things happen in life and sometimes it so hard that you feel as if you can't carry on. Which is how I feel, I've always tried to be a good person and a good father but I feel there is no going on for me. I know you may not understand this and you may be angry with me and you can be, just know that I tried my best for a very long time because of you. It is because of you I've lasted this long. You are my greatest achievement and I wish I could have given you a happier and normal life, not to mention spare you from this unhappiness. Please do not cry Scarlett you will be okay. It is not my intention to leave you alone in this world, Uncle Zach will take care of you and do a far better job then I ever could. Be happy my darling daughter._

_I love you. I have always loved you my dear daughter and always will – please forgive me._

_Dad._

Scarlett sighed as she read her father's letter to her, it had been eight years since her father had killed himself and she had yet to make sense of it. She knew how he killed himself and why he did but for someone reason she couldn't make any sense of it, she supposed she still had the mentality of her eight year old self when it came to her father's suicide. Didn't change the fact she missed him everyday. "How was the funeral?"

Looking up from the note Scarlett saw Stefan looking over at her with odd look on his face, didn't surprise her really. He'd been more quieter than usual ever since the accident involving the Gilbert's. "Overwhelmingly full and rather depressing as you'd expect, how I hate this town and funerals… blah!" Scarlett replied blowing a raspberry.

"Why? What happened?"

"I didn't go to the wake but after the funeral Mrs. Lockwood approached me and asked me I was doing, she thought that I may be having a difficult time with the loss the town are dealing with, considering that we've just lost two very important member of the founders council. And the last big loss the town suffered was then my father died, she wanted check on me as she worried about me and let me known that she was here for me if I ever needed it." Scarlett said with a roll of her eyes. "Biggest amount of bullshit I've ever heard, but these are the Lockwood's' we're talking about so it is to be expected…"

Stefan managed to laugh. "You don't like the Lockwood's I'm guessing…"

"Who does? Then again I don't like any of the founding families, each of them is as bad as each other. The only founding family I do like is the Salvatore's but I may be a little bias and even then we aren't exactly the Brady Bunch…" Scarlett replied.

"What's that in your hand?" Stefan asked, motioning to the letter Scarlett was holding in her hands as he joined her on the couch she was sitting on.

"My dad's second suicide note, he wrote three of them. One of them was the actual suicide note, the other two letters were addressed to Uncle Zach and I, dad must have felt he had to explain his actions to both of us separately so hence the two extra notes. Only we know about them, Uncle Zach hid them from the police because it was addressed to me because it was nobodies business except ours. The one that the police found with his body simply says 'I'm sorry. Please take care of Scarlett.'… "

"He loved you very much. That much I know."

"I remember the night he killed himself he came into my bedroom like always and he read me a fairytale from my storybook. That night he chose the princess and the pea, I remember when he was reading to me that my book was getting wet and I looked and I saw him crying, which was odd because he never cried, at least in front of me. I asked him what was wrong and he smiled at me and said nothing was wrong and kept going. Like always when he finished, he made sure I was tucked in bed and kissed my forehead but he didn't leave, instead he sat with me until long after I fell asleep. The last thing I remember him saying before I fell asleep was 'I'm so sorry; I'm so sorry Scarlett. Daddy loves you always.' Uncle Zach says that he killed himself two hours later."

"I remember." Stefan replied and the two of them fell into silence, they both knew that he was the one to find the body and they both knew that they would never talk about it. In a odd sort of way it's was their code of silence. Scarlett would not ask about the finer details about that night and Stefan nor Zach would tell her.

"After the conversation I had with Mrs. Lockwood it made nostalgic, I remember his funeral and seeing Mrs. Lockwood along with the others all pointing and gossiping, sharing theories about why my dad killed himself. They still do."

"Really? It's been eight years since Gabriel died, I know this is a quiet town where not much happens but you'd think that they would have stopped talking about it now…" Stefan noted.

"It's one of Mystic Falls' greatest mysterious, why Gabriel Salvatore killed himself. Some think it was drugs or alcohol, or there is the one about him never getting over the fact that his wife left him then the mental illness one is very popular but my dad wasn't crazy Uncle Stefan, he may have depressed and yes he did kill himself but he was not crazy. My father was a good man and a good father. He just couldn't cope anymore."

"I know that."

"The people in this town just don't understand so they jump to conclusion. They all look at me weirdly thinking that I'm crazy. Hence why i don't have friends. They also think that this house is cursed because two Salvatore's have died in it and they think I'll be number three. Expect me to kill myself in this house, just like my father did. I hate this town and what It's down to our family, it's ruined all of our lives…"

"But yet it's still home." Stefan noted.

"More's the pity." Scarlett murmured in agreement, she may hate this godforsaken town but it was home and where the Salvatore's belonged and she was a Salvatore.


	5. Chapter 5

At first Scarlett wasn't too happy about having her vampire uncle staying in town but after two weeks she was getting to know her uncle as just Stefan and not the vampire. He wasn't like how she thought he would be, he was kind and sweet not to mention he was very respectful of the rules that had set in place for him to avoid drawing attention to him as there were people still alive from fifty years ago who could possible remember him. But most of all he was quiet, just like Scarlett and Zach. The fact that they were similar in age helped and by that Scarlett meant that Stefan was physically still seventeen and she would turn seventeen this coming October. Then Stefan was also teaching Scarlett Italian. Walking into his room Scarlett found Stefan sitting on the floor with Lucrezia in his lap while he wrote in his journal. "It's rather annoying how easily she warmed up to you, it took her three weeks before Lucrezia finally decided that she liked me during that time she followed Zach everywhere." Scarlett stated.

"I honestly couldn't tell you why. There must be something about me that Lucrezia immediately seemed to trust." Stefan replied as he put down his journal. "When did you get her?"

"Uncle Zach got me her for my fifteenth birthday, he promised that when I turned sixteen he'd get me a car and I've never been one to ask for loads of things for my birthday or Christmas. So he got me a cat." Scarlett said as she made her way over and sat down on the floor next to Stefan and Lucrezia crawled onto her lap and purred quietly. "Probably the best gift I've ever received, this probably sounds weird but she's more than just a pet to me she's my best friend in fact Lucrezia is my only friend."

"Aren't you lonely?"

Scarlett frowned momentarily, it was a question that she had never been asked before and thinking about it made Scarlett realize how lonely she truly was. All she had was two uncles and one cat in her life. "At times, but isn't everybody?"

"That's not what I meant and you know it." Stefan slowly replied.

"Lonely, alone, isolated. Whatever you want to call it that's what I am. Scarlett Salvatore, girl who grew up learning about vampires whilst playing with her dolls, being read storybooks at night as well as the family journals. Learning how to carve stakes, the true history of this town and the founding families. I was not raised to be a normal little girl Stefan and even though I'm not a little girl anymore I'm still not normal. I have three uncles, two of whom are old enough to be my great-great-uncles because they are vampires. My mother left when I was three years old and my father killed himself eight years ago and after that I was home schooled for a year. Most importantly from the age of six I knew that if there was one thing that I had to do it was keeping the family secret." Scarlett stated with a small shrug of her shoulders as she stroked Lucrezia.

"But how's that got to do with you not having any friends Scarlett?"

"I don't know. It's not like I made the personal choice not to have friends Uncle Stefan, I admit that it would be nice but I'm not accepted here and I've learnt to accept that, I'm not going to change who I am to change that. I have a beautiful home, an uncle who loves me more than anything in the world and has been taking care of me all my life. Then a best friend who is always here for me especially at night. Those two people accept me for who I am and beyond that nothing else really matters to me. I'm happy with my life the way it is, for the most part." Scarlett quietly said.

"You have a different way of looking at the world, do you know that Scarlett? But wouldn't you like to have friends who are human like you?"

Scarlett laughed. "Like you said I'm different Uncle Stefan and people don't like different. I'm not changing who I am to make friends, it's taken me a long time to be comfortable in my skin and I'm not changing or conforming to anyone's ideals just to have friends. I'd rather be alone than not be myself."

"You seem rather adamant about it."

"I've been told that I can be rather stubborn or pigheaded on occasions and certain matters but I just call it unwillingness to back down when I know I'm right about something. And you'll find that I'm right about most things, a lot of the times. It's kind of my thing."

"Along with history, playing the piano, sleeping and sitting in the tree swing in the back yard and reading classical books because as far as I can tell you prefer them over the modern stuff but you do read modern books. Your just rather picky about which stuff you pick, you tend avoid all books aimed at teenagers and all fantasy books especially ones involving vampires for some reasons although I do think you should read Anne Rice. Her work is very impressive and I think you'd like it." Stefan advises

"Uncle Stefan how'd you know all that about me?" Scarlett questioned as she watched Lucrezia walk off her lap and back into Stefan's lap.

"It's just stuff I learnt from when I last visited and stuff I've picked up since I've come home. You haven't changed at all over the years Scarlett, the same person you were eight years ago just older." Stefan said in amusement before turning to Scarlett. "You know you don't have to call me that Scarlett, you can just call me Stefan."

"But you're my uncle though and you're ancient, so the title is kind of needed… I was taught to respect my elders even if they barely look older than I do." Scarlett quipped as she crawled on to her knees before proceeding to stand up.

"Doesn't mean I can't be your friend too." Stefan pointed out.

Scarlett smiled, it was nice having Stefan around as it made her less lonely and it was nice having someone else to talk to other than Zach and Lucrezia even if he was a vampire. But beggars can't be choosers and who was Scarlett to look a gift vampire uncle in the mouth? "Well this uncle and niece bonding was nice but I have to run, I have work in an hour so I have to go and get changed but I will see you later Uncle Stefan…"


	6. Chapter 6

Scarlett Salvatore wasn't stupid; in fact she was an above intelligent young woman. Which is how she managed to conclude to the fact that there was something going on with her dear old Uncle Stefan due to the fact that summer vacation was over and he was still here. This short visit had turned into a three months visit for a reason that neither Zach nor Stefan wanted her to know about and had been arguing about it constantly. Always making sure that she wasn't around or couldn't hear but Scarlett wasn't stupid, she knew it was about Elena Gilbert. Ever since her uncle had rescued her from her parents sinking car, he had sort of become obsessed with her especially since she looked exactly like that Katherine girl from the photograph. But at the moment she honestly didn't care as she had to do with going back to school, today was her first day as a junior and quite honestly she was wasn't looking forward to it. She just wanted to get through the day, then go to work before finally going home. However imagine to her surprise when she saw Stefan in the hallway before forth period started Elena Gilbert. "Excuse me for interrupting this little overt operation of yours but I need to borrow you, now." Scarlett said as took Stefan's arm and dragged him into an empty classroom.

"Scarlett…" Stefan began.

"What are you doing here Uncle Stefan!" Scarlett began before realizing how stupid her question was as he was clearly here about Elena Gilbert. "Never mind, you need to go back home and stay there. You agreed that you would stay out of sight especially since the incident at wickery bridge."

"It isn't that simple Scarlett!"

"Yes it is, you turn around and walk out those doors and you leave Elena Gilbert alone, she suffered a loss and the last thing she needs is a deranged vampire getting involved with her life after he's been stalking her for the entire summer because she looks like his long lost love." Scarlett angrily spat.

"What are you talking about Scarlett?" Stefan asked.

"Your obsessed with her, I've seen you sneaking out of the house and I'm pretty sure that I saw you near her house last week when I was coming back home from my shift at the grill. Uncle Stefan, you need to leave her alone. Go home."

"I can't. You don't understand Scarlett's complicated."

Scarlett shook her head, there was no way she was going to convince him to go home considering he had just enrolled himself back in public high school. "Yeah by the amount of arguing that you and Uncle Zach have doing, I'm guessing it's pretty complicated. If you insist on being here then keep your head down and do not draw any more attention than your arrival is sure to bring. I like being anonymous and let's get this straight, this isn't your town or home anymore it's mine. This isn't going to be like 1864 or 1953 or even eight years ago…"

"I just want to live as normal life as I possible can Scarlett."

"Uncle Stefan, you're a vampire. There is no such thing as a normal for you especially not in this town and the sooner you realize it, the better it will be for the rest of us." Scarlett said before taking a deep breath and walking out of the classroom.

"I'll see you later." Stefan told her.

"Whatever…" Scarlett replied before turning away to head towards her next class only to come face first with Caroline Forbes who was looking at her with a weird smile on her face. Caroline to Scarlett was a self centred and shallow popular girl who took the blonde cheerleader thing to another level. Daughter of Sheriff Elizabeth Forbes and her former husband Bill who ran off with another man, not to mention like Scarlett she was from one of the founding families. They didn't like each other much. But it was clear that she wanted something from Scarlett when she refused to let her pass. "What do you want Forbes?"

"New guy. You seem very friendly with him what is he your boyfriend or something? Although I find that very hard to believe–" Caroline begins.

Scarlett wasn't in the mood or did she have the time to be insulted by Caroline Forbes all of people today, so she cut to the chase. Clearly she wanted information on Stefan, so Scarlett would give her some information about him to get Caroline off her back. Scarlett liked being left alone so having Caroline Forbes of all people bothering her wasn't something she liked. "–Well that's because he's my cousin."

"Cousin?"

"Yeah. Cousin. It's what you call the child of your aunt or uncle. His father and my father just so happened to be brothers, which makes him my paternal cousin." Scarlett said in layman's terms in order for Caroline to understand. Despite the fact everything she had just said was a lie as Stefan wasn't her cousin and although her father was indeed related to his father, it wasn't in a brotherly way. Scarlett's father only had one brother and that was Zach.

"Is that so? So what else can you tell me about this mystery cousin of yours and don't leave anything out Salvatore." Caroline inquired, as Scarlett could swear she saw stars in her eyes. This was only natural as Caroline Forbes was certifiably boy crazy.

Scarlett rolled her eyes in annoyance before sighing. "His name is Stefan Salvatore, he lived here for a while when we were kids but then moved because he's kind of a military brat, so he moves around frequently. He decided to come back for a while and now he lives with me and my uncle at the boarding house but my uncle isn't his father. His birthday is in June and his favourite colour is blue. Before you ask no one knows about him because his father's been estranged from the family for most of the years. Now leave me the hell alone Forbes…"


	7. Chapter 7

Carrying a small tray Scarlett walked through the kitchen towards the east side of the boarding house where Zach was sitting in the office doing some work. Lucrezia was always there, lying on the desk watching Zach work and purring every so often and when Scarlett arrived they both looked at her in surprise. But neither of them did anything, instead they both watched as Scarlett picked up the tea pot and poured two cups, handing one to Zach before sitting down in one of the two chairs that was facing Zach. "Your worried, so I made us some tea it's camomile so it'll help you sleep tonight." Scarlett explained.

"How'd you that I'm worried about something."

Scarlett smiled as her eyes left her uncles and drifted towards her cat. "Lucrezia. She's never one to sit still unless she knows there's something wrong and judging by the fact that she hasn't left your side once since I've gotten home from work, something must be really worrying you and I don't blame you for being worried. I am too. About everything…"

"You heard about the animal attacks?" Zach wearily said as he took a sip of his tea and Scarlett slowly nodded.

"Yeah and I saw about it on the news, when that couple was still missing I didn't think anything of it because people go missing all the time. But when they had been found dead and the newspaper said that it had been an animal attack, I know something was wrong. I've read the journals, I know that's the story that the town use to cover up the vampire attacks… do the council suspect anything yet? Scarlett questioned, through the journals and what her family told her over the years, vampire usually ripped their victims bodies to pieces to avoid detection and shift blame on to some kind of wild animal.

"No. Not yet and they don't have a reason to. But if these animal attacks continue, then a meeting will be called and they'll figure out some kind of a plan." Zach began before sighing and stroking Lucrezia. "I asked Stefan about it yesterday but he just denied it, he said that he has his blood thirst under control but it doesn't explain these deaths."

"Has anything Stefan done lately made any sense? Shows up in town to visit us and three months later he's still here because he wants to try and live a normal life as he possibly can. And I'd believe that if this weren't about Elena Gilbert. She looks like this girl called Katherine that Stefan knew back in 1964, I don't know any of the details but ever since he saved Elena it's like he's obsessed with knowing her, it's why he enrolled at my school." Scarlett replied with a frown.

"Do you think he'll put her in danger? Because we could always–"

"Uncle Zach, you know that we don't not to talk about that in this house anymore." Scarlett began referring to vervain, the herb that acts like a poison to vampires and if digested by humans, it makes vampires unable to compel them. As far as Stefan was aware there was no vervain in Mystic Falls as Damon – the vampire uncle that Scarlett hadn't met, got rid of it in 1865. But that was another family secret, the Salvatore's had been growing vervain ever since, providing it to the founding families when needed and the whole family ingested it. Zach had been drinking it in his coffee for over twenty years and Scarlett had been wearing a necklace filled with vervain and drinking it in her tea since Stefan's first visit since she was eight. "But no, at the moment I don't think he's a danger to her at the moment however I will keep an eye out…"

"Where is he now?" Zach questioned.

Scarlett took a sip of her tea before speaking. "There's some party by the falls and I believe he's gone there with Elena, I overheard them talking about it yesterday while I was at work he was sitting at a table completely surrounded by teenage girls all unaware that he was a vampire and old enough to be their father's great grandfather. It's amazing how he's been my school for two days and already have friends when I've lived in this town my whole life and I have none."

"Are you jealous? Because you sound rather annoyed by it Scarlett…" Zach noted.

"No not really as I don't do friends Uncle Zach, you know that." Scarlett replied before the side door suddenly swung open and in ran Stefan in a panic. "Uncle Stefan, what's going on?"

"Someone one else was attacked tonight and it wasn't me." Stefan told them before taking the back stairs up towards his bedroom Scarlett presumed as her and Zach both took sips of her tea and sat there in silence for a good few minutes as they tried to absorb this new information. If people were getting attacked in town then were going to have to do something before the council got suspicious. The town could not find out about a vampire being in town and coming from one of the founding families. The Salvatore family has kept this secret for a hundred and forty five years and they intended to keep it like that. Until a crash came from upstairs and Scarlett was certain she heard a something smash.

"Okay, now I'm really worried." Scarlett said slowly.

Zach stood up and went to the window and looked out of it before turning back to Scarlett and she knew something was wrong because when he looked at her, it was like all the colour had left his face. "Scarlett leave…"

"Uncle Zach was going on? Whose outside." Scarlett questioned, if Zach was reacting like this something bad must be really going on. The last time she had seen her uncle act so odd was the morning after her father had killed himself.

"Scarlett just do what I say and go." Zach said.

Picking up Lucrezia, Scarlett slowly made her way back through the kitchen and kept walking through the house until she reached the lounge and heard another loud crash, which caused her to stop walking and she turned back to look in the direction that she had suddenly come from. There was no noise and everything was deadly silent until Scarlett heard cheering whistling, which just freaked her out even more. "Uncle Zach? Uncle Stefan?" Scarlett called out but there was nothing but the whistling and the sound of footsteps coming towards here and moments later a man walked in with a grin on his face, followed by Stefan was had an dark look on his face.

"Wrong uncle on both counts." The man began and Scarlett swallowed a lump in her throat as she took a couple of steps back, although she had never met him she had a pretty good idea of who he was if both Stefan and Zach were both behaving so out of character because of this man's appearance. Not to mention he said wrong uncle and Scarlett only had three uncles, so this must be the final one. And it scared Scarlett how much they looked alike. The same pale blue eyes and the dark hair. "Well if it isn't my niece who's all grown up and who I've finally gotten around to meeting and now I'll have the chance of getting to know…"

"Uncle Damon…" Scarlett barely managed to say.

Damon smirked as he looked at Scarlett. "That's correct Scarlett and I'm so sorry to hear about the death of your father and my dear nephew Gabriel, how is it your father killed himself again? For some reason I tend to be kept out of the loop on these things… didn't he jump off a bridge or shoot himself in the head?"

"He hung himself." Scarlett wearily replied.

"Oh yes! Hung himself like the coward he was but then again you must really be a coward if your going to kill yourself…" Damon stated and Scarlett had to take a deep breath in order to stop herself from crying.

"Ignore him." Stefan said as he placed a reassuring hand on Scarlett's shoulder before turning to Damon. "Gabriel is dead and let's leave it at that Damon because there is nothing to be said on the matter."

"Relax Stefan, it was just a joke to break the ice." Damon scoffed.

"Well it wasn't funny! And my father wasn't a coward!" Scarlett snapped as she managed to pull herself together, she could not believe that her 'Uncle' Damon had strolled into the house and made a joke about her father's death, in the room that he killed himself in. She hated Damon in this moment. Taking a deep breath Scarlett turned to Stefan. "I've had enough of this, I'm going to bed…"

"If your going upstairs dear niece of mine, you can go right ahead and make up my room for me. I feel like having a bit of a family reunion so I think I'm going to stay a while…" Damon said.

"Do it yourself, I'm not your damn maid!" Scarlett spat with a sneer as looked at her uncle in disgust before walking away. Her day had now just gotten so much worse as now more people were getting hurt and now both her vampire uncles were in town. Things really couldn't get anymore worse than that.


	8. Chapter 8

Scarlett woke up the next morning feeling tired because she had spent half the night worried that Uncle Damon was going to come and kill her in her sleep because he did have a history of killing relatives and unfortunately Scarlett fell under the category of relative. Although she had vervain in her system, it didn't mean that Damon couldn't kill her it just meant that he couldn't compel her or drink her blood. Then Scarlett was still mad about the comment about her dad, she still couldn't believe what he said to her about her dad, despite what Stefan said about ignoring Damon, she just couldn't let it go. "Is your brother going to kill me in my sleep?" she asked Stefan as she drove them both to school

Stefan wasn't sure he should laugh at this so he chose not to. "No he won't. It's not Damon style."

"I'm not sure whether or not to be relieved at that Uncle Stefan because I really can't spend most of my nights paranoid that your brother is coming to come in and take a big bite out of my jugular." Scarlett began before taking a deep breath. "And on the subject of that, I'm sorry for thinking that you were behind the 'animal' attacks, it's just people being attacked + vampire living in your house = jumping to conclusions without having any credible evidence. You said that you weren't going to hurt anyone while you were here and I should have trusted you. I'm sorry."

"Scarlett you don't have to apologize. You're related to vampires, it's only natural to put two and two together when something like this happens. But at least we know whose behind these attacks even if it is Damon." Stefan wearily says.

"I heard about the Donovan girl, not that I'm not glad that's she going to be okay but guess who has cover all her shifts while she's in the hospital?" Scarlett mentioned with a small roll of her eyes.

Stefan sighed. "We have Damon to thank for that. I have to go to the hospital and try and clean up this mess and see how much Vicki remembers about the attack. Here's hoping that Damon didn't leave too much evidence behind…"

"I really don't like your brother, no offense... But he just seems like a really annoying asshole not to mention he is a jerk. Bossing me around like he's in charge of me and then talking about my dad as if he knew what he was talking about. Everyone has always been scared of him and now I know why."

"Damon is dangerous Scarlett. I won't let him hurt you but you need to be really careful around him. His temper is something else and he is very quick to snap, not to mention we both know that he'd kill anyone of us, with no regards to the fact that we are his family. The best thing to do is just stay out of his way and hopefully he'll get bored and decided to leave." Stefan told Scarlett.

"I know about the whole he wants to cause you misery for the rest of your life, but why does he want to? C'mon the two of you are brothers, my dad and Uncle Zach were best friends as well as brothers… What the hell happened between you two to make Uncle Damon hate you enough that he wants to ruin your life?" Scarlett questioned.

"I know how close Gabriel and Zach were, the two of them together used to remind me of what Damon and I were like when we were still human. Back then we were more than brothers but best friends and as close as can be, but then she came and everything changed. Once we met Katherine a series of events happened, which is how we ended up as vampires and estranged from each other. Yesterday was the first time that we had seen each other in fifteen years..."

"Katherine." Scarlett repeated slowly, she recognized that name from somewhere until she remembered the photograph that Stefan had of her. "She's the girl in the photograph, the one who Elena looks just like, right?"

"That is correct. In 1864 there were vampires here in Mystic Falls and right at the heart of it was Katherine Pierce, a beautiful and seductive woman who were staying with us at the old Salvatore estate. She told us she was an orphan who lost her family in a fire and my father allowed her to stay with us and both Damon and I were immediately taken with her." Stefan explained.

"Uh oh. Two boys, one girl. Forecast isn't exactly good, is it?" Scarlett figured and her summary of it all caused Stefan to laugh.

"No it didn't, she was a vampire and we were both in love with her deeply but Katherine was compelling us to drink her blood and feeding of us. During that time, the attacks increased and the founding families were about to take action, I went t my father to try and convince him that vampires weren't monsters… what I didn't know at the time was that he had been suspicious and had spiked my drink with vervain. When Katherine next fed on me her secret came out and her plus the other twenty seven vampires were rounded up and were placed in Fell's church and it was set on fire, killing them all."

"Wow."

"We tried to rescue her before they got to the church but my father shot us, killing us and setting off our transition for vampires. That's why Damon hates me, He blames me for Katherine death because she'd still be here if I hadn't of gone to my father and alerted him to her being a vampire." Stefan admitted.

"A hundred and forty five years is a long time to be angry at someone." Scarlett concluded and Stefan just nodded in agreement. This newfound news about her family was a startling revelation to Scarlett and made her realize that her family were even more messed up than she originally thought they were. More relatives killing each other, two uncles who had become swore enemies. It was all compelling stuff but rather worrying at the same time as the two path ways that seemed laid out for her was being killed by a relative or killing one herself. It was just lovely.


	9. Chapter 9

Scarlett went about cleaning up a table in the Grill after the patrons who were sitting there had just left, normally this would be the job of the busboys but they were short handed and so now she was playing double duty but only getting paid for her one actual role. Scarlett made a note to remember to talk to her boss about hiring some new bus boys, as this was getting ridiculous. As she loaded the dirty plates onto her tray, she noticed someone standing in front of her and when Scarlett looked up she saw that it was Elena Gilbert who was looking at her with an expectant look on his face. "May I help you with something or are you just going to stand there?" Scarlett asked.

"Can we talk Scarlett? It's kind of important…" Elena asked.

"Not really, can you not see I'm kind of busy with work? And besides we don't ever talk so I don't really see why you'd want to change a good thing." Scarlett retorted as she walked away holding her tray against her hip, picking up empty glasses on her way to the kitchen. Scarlett was pretty certain that she knew what this conversation was about or rather who judging by the eye longing gazing that she saw Elena doing with Stefan in history.

"I know that we haven't spoken in a while but we've known each other and I just really need to talk to you about Stefan, I went over to your house–" Elena began.

As soon as Scarlett heard the words 'house' she turned on her heels, she knew that this conversation that she didn't want to have any involvement in involved Stefan but she was clueless as to why Elena was mentioning her house, let alone going there. "My house? You went over to the boarding house? Why on earth did you go over to my house?"

"I needed to talk to Stefan about something and so I went over but no one was there but the door was open and –"

"So you just went in? Have you never heard of a phone? We are listed in the phone book like most people Gilbert because it tends to stop people from turning up unexpected, as It's kind of rude just to turn up and waltz into my house not to mention it's considering breaking and entering. Even the boarders knock on the door…" Scarlett interrupted with a shake of her head, she was just getting more irritated by the second.

"I met Stefan's brother." Elena announced.

"You met Damon." Scarlett slowly replied as her stomach dropped into the bottom of her stomach as she barely managed to refrain from saying Uncle Stefan. This was no a hundred times worse as not only was Stefan obsessed with said Gilbert girl but his crazy brother who swore to make his life hell was now back in town and had just met the girl who was an exact double for his long lost love. This did not bode well for anyone at all.

"I didn't know that he had a brother or that you had cousins Scarlett." Elena told Scarlett who just rolled her eyes, this was the majority of her problems concerning the founding families, they all thought that they were superior compared to everyone else and always wanted to know everyone else's business.

"Well forgive me for not telling you and the rest of the people who I don't like in town, my entire family tree! Unlike the rest of you and the rest of the perfect little families, the Salvatore's have actual family problems, like the fact that we're mostly estranged from my cousins and I've only seen Stefan twice and I only met Damon for the first time two days ago. Is that what you want to hear Elena?" Scarlett snapped.

"I-it's just that I was worried about Stefan and when I went over Damon was there and was telling me about how Stefan's ex girlfriend and how he wasn't over her yet and I just wondered if you knew anything about it and why Stefan and Damon don't seen to get along because I care about Stefan a lot…" Elena said.

"It's none of your damn business. And the fact that your actually asking me about this means that you really shouldn't be involved in this. I actually don't care about my cousins' problems unless it's affecting me and you coming here and asking me about it whilst I am working is making it my problem. So let's get a few things straight here Gilbert, my family is my business, not yours so butt the hell out and stop involving yourself in things that don't concern you." Scarlett retorted as she picked up a glass and dropped it into her tray.

"I-I'm sorry Scarlett, I didn't realize… I'm sorry for asking you." Elena stammered.

"Let me give you a piece of advice Elena, stay away from both my cousins because you have no idea what is going on with them nor will you ever be able to understand and don't you dare ever step foot in my house again." Scarlett warned as she walked away from Elena and headed into the direction of the kitchen. Okay so it was a little mean and Scarlett knew that she didn't have to be such a bitch but despite the fact that she didn't like Elena, she had just done all of that to save her life. If she he kept snooping around into the Salvatore's history and all their problems then she would end probably end up finding out the truth, which there was no way in hell Scarlett was going to let happen as she had to keep the family secret. Not to mention Elena could probably end up dead, which wasn't good as that's how the last girl who came between both her uncles ended. And Scarlett couldn't have that; she had to keep Elena away from her uncles.


	10. Chapter 10

Scarlett walked into the boarding house after coming back from her shift at the grill and who was the first person she saw when she walked into the lounge? Her crazy ass Uncle Damon, the one who Stefan said wouldn't hesitate to kill her if she didn't watch herself around him and his temper. It seemed like Scarlett wasn't catching a break recently and her life just got kept getting increasingly harder. "Uncle Damon…" Scarlett said in order to be polite.

"You look like him you know. Gabriel, I mean." Damon commented from his position of the couch where he was drinking what Scarlett presumed to be whisky and holding up a picture of Scarlett's father from when he was in his early twenties. "I must admit that the resemblance is rather uncanny even if you are a she Salvatore, you get it from my mother…"

Scarlett's heart constricted when her uncle mentioned her father by first name, she knew that she looked like her father even more so as each day passed. So being told that she looked like him by the person who made a joke about his death wasn't something that Scarlett appreciated but she was trying to keep Damon happy so she'd continue to be cordial until the day where he hopefully got bored and left for everyone's sake. "Thanks a lot..."

"C'mon Scarlett lighten up a bit! Just because I came to visit doesn't mean that you have to pretend to be nice me. I know that I haven't come around in the last sixteen or so years and my brother Saint Stefan has said something to you to make you weary of me but ignore him, I want you to be yourself around me so tell me what's the problem?" Damon asked in a rather cheerful manner that creeped Scarlett out, she could totally see the sadistic killed that Stefan had told her about.

"Um… well there's the fact that I'm paranoid that you will kill me." Scarlett found herself saying as he did say to be honest and who was she to disrespect one of her elders?

"You're a relative." Damon noted as he put the picture of Scarlett's father down and took a sip of his drink.

"And? That doesn't exactly mean anything to me as you've killed relatives before so you don't have a problem with killing me. Not to mention saying that really fill me with any kind of reassurance Uncle Damon. So there is still the possibility of you killing me so in order to avoid that I'm going to keep my distance, just to be safe and all if you don't mind." Scarlett replied sceptically from where she stood in the lounge.

Damon smirked and Scarlett wasn't sure whether or not that was a good thing or a bad thing – probably the latter. "You're a kid. I don't kill kids. Even I have boundaries."

"Well that's nice to know and I appreciate the sentiment despite the fact that we've only just met but does that mean you'll kill me once I turn eighteen and am legally recognized as an adult?" Scarlett retorted.

"No. I like you Scarlett your sassy and full of spunk, not to mention if I kill you whose going to continue the family line? Don't worry about a thing little one, you staying alive is in my best interests so I'm not going to harm a single hair on that dark little head of yours." Damon assured Scarlett.

"Thanks I guess. Although your word doesn't really mean much… But can I ask you something straight forward seeing as you've decided to not kill me?" Scarlett questioned, she was going to play ball with the dangerous and sadistic Uncle Damon for now but she was going to be very careful.

-"Go right ahead niece of mine." Damon said motioning for Scarlett to go on.

Taking a deep breath Scarlett took a couple of more steps forward towards Damon. "What the hell were you playing at with Elena Gilbert today? I know she's like a double of your long lost love, but seriously? What you did to today with bringing up Stefan's ex who is the same aforementioned ex is just going to stir up trouble and another thing, don't ever let Elena back into this house."

"She's welcome any time." Damon causally noted. "Aren't you two friends or something? Considering you are the same age?"

"No we're not friends." Scarlett bluntly stated. "She's a nosy bitch and after your little stunt today, she came up to me whilst I was at work and start bombarding me with questions about you and Stefan not to mention Katherine. We don't need people asking getting involved in this families personal crap and asking questions especially ones from the founding families. Because if someone gets a whiff of any of this, the founders council will find out! So just leave her alone Uncle Damon!"

"No can do little one and you can't exactly tell me what to do now can you? I am your Uncle not to mention a vampire and as your probably well aware I don't drink animal blood like Stefan." Damon told Scarlett and it was clear that there was a not so veiled threat in the later part of that statement.

"I thought you said that you wouldn't harm me?" Scarlett couldn't help but point out and it caused Damon to smirk.

"Doesn't mean I can't threaten you."

"Well if you want to do that then can I remind you whose house this is Damon's? Because of your vampire status and the fact that you've been dead for a hundred and forty five years you have no legal right to this house. Not to mention this house was built like fifty years after you died. " Scarlett quipped.

"Very good Scarlett but need I remind you that I've already been invited in and as such I can come in and out of this house whenever I want to and there's nothing anyone can do to stop me." Damon retorted.

Now it was Scarlett's turn to smirk. "I wouldn't be too cocky about that Uncle Damon i'm sure that there are ways around that, so unless you want things to get to that point then don't do anything to draw anymore attention to you being here and for god's sake don't let the Gilbert girl come back here."

Damon sat there and looked at Scarlett for the longest time before finally speaking "Like what? How can you stop me from coming inside?"

"I'm a Salvatore, I'll think of something."


	11. Chapter 11

Sitting in her bedroom on the floor finishing off her trig homework Scarlett was pleasantly surprised when Stefan walked into her room with a hot mug of hot chocolate in one hand and Lucrezia in the other hand. It was a nice surprise as the last couple days she hadn't seen him around as much as he was with Elena leaving her to do some family bonding with Damon, who wasn't all bad until he killed Mr. Tanner for no damn reason but Scarlett wasn't going to fooled by her Uncle. "What's with the occasion?"

"Nothing, can't an uncle bring his niece a cup of hot chocolate?" Stefan quips and Scarlett couldn't help but smile.

"I know you Uncle Stefan so what to do you want to talk to me about?" Scarlett asked as Stefan sat down on the floor next to Scarlett and handed her the cup of hot chocolate.

"About what happened tonight I want to make sure that your okay." Stefan explained and Scarlett frowned slightly as she took a sip of her chocolate, tonight the school's football team were to play the first game of the year. Scarlett had gone to watch despite the fact she hated anything involving school spirit because Stefan had joined the team and she wanted to support him, unfortunately the game never got round to playing because Mr. Tanner was found dead ten minutes before kick off. The whole team all believe that it was a wild animal that was responsible but Scarlett knew better, the one responsible could only be Damon.

"I'm fine." Scarlett replied but Stefan gave her a look that said that he didn't believe her in the slightest and Scarlett couldn't help but laugh, her and Stefan could read each other so well now. It was weird to think how she had known him all her life and never really given him a chance or got to know him until he had come back. "Seriously Uncle Stefan I am as fine as I can be, given that your brother and my uncle just murdered my history teacher. It's terrible what happened to Mr. Tanner but I'm not going to be sad and start crying over my jackass of a history teacher who have me nothing but crap."

"Tanner? He was giving you trouble?" Stefan asked with a concerned look on his face

"Do you remember the talk dark and creepy comment he made about me? Well that was nothing, he's always kind of been an ass to me ever since I started high school… him and his insults…" Scarlett said referring to the statement Mr. Tanner made about her when he asked Stefan if he was related to her. Tanner's precise words were '_Salvatore? Like talk dark and creepy over there?'_

"Did you ever tell Zach about any of this?"

Scarlett took a sip of her hot chocolate before shaking her head. "No, I don't want to bother Zach so I don't tell him about things like that and how the other kids kind of give me a hard time… well I do, but I play down and make it sound less worse than it is. I don't want him to worry about me more than he does already."

"Why not?"

"He's always got stuff to deal with like things to do with the house and boarders, so I don't want to bother him with my stuff considering everything he's done for me since dad died. Zach was kind of dumped with me and so I prefer to make Zach's life easier than making it harder besides I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself for the most part. I tell myself that I'm halfway to never having to see or interact with these people again and that gets me through the day." Scarlett replied as Lucrezia crawled into her lap and purred quiet.

"They bully you." Stefan stated slowly.

"I wouldn't say it like that, you know it's just name calling and teasing Uncle Stefan it's never gotten violent and most of it's stuff that I heard before like loser, freak, my personal favourite 'that weird Salvatore girl whose dad offed himself in their house' and many others… You'd think after all these years that I'd be used to it but unfortunately no. I wish that there were one day where I could go without anyone looking and pointing at me, not calling me names but that's high school for you." Scarlett admitted.

"Next time, let me know because I can't have people picking on my niece." Stefan said and it caused Scarlett to laugh.

"But back to the whole Tanner thing, why did Damon kill him? I get that he is unpredictable and some loose cannon by this doesn't even make any sense." Scarlett began taking another sip of her hot chocolate.

Stefan sighed and Lucrezia sensing her new best friends discomfort got up from Scarlett's lap and made her way back over to Stefan. "It's my fault, I thought that there was some humanity left in him and I was silly to think that I could get Damon to change but it can't be done. Damon killed Tanner to make that clear to me… it happened so fast that there was nothing I could do to stop I to stop me. This isn't what I wanted when I came back Scarlett you have to believe me, people being killed–"

"Hey! You don't have to explain anything to me, your psychotic brother is also a relative of mine and you shouldn't blame yourself what Damon does. He's a very grown man who is out of control just because you are his brother doesn't make you accountable for his actions." Scarlett said in an attempt to lift Stefan's spirit, he had come to lift hers and now he was all gloom and doom. The two of them together made a right pair, probably why they got on so well. "I'm sorry that you didn't get to play your game tonight, I was looking forward to it…"

"Your lying Scarlett, you hate any type of social event." Stefan couldn't help but point out.

"Fine… you have me there but I was looking forward to see you play, I don't drag myself to pep rallies and football games for just anybody they have pretty important. Like my awesome a hundred and sixty one year old however many great uncles you are…" Scarlett said as she gently nudged Stefan.

"I feel like I'm the one who supposed to be giving you the pep talk and words of encouragement after all I am the adult here and you're the kid." Stefan joked.

"I'm not only your niece Uncle Stefan but I'm your friend, it's kind of what you do for friends and then your family too so it's a given."


	12. Chapter 12

"Ah! If it isn't my favourite niece Scarlett."

Looking up from where she was sitting on the couch tying up her shoelaces Scarlett saw her not so favourite Uncle and local town murder and blood sucking pain in the ass Damon. "I'm your only niece Uncle Damon so your point is a bit redundant unless you and Uncle Stefan have some bastard great grandchildren running around that we don't know about. And I say that with love as I am descended from a bastard Salvatore although the political term is born out of wedlock but I didn't want to confuse you so early in the morning as I doubt they used the term out of wedlock in your time."

"Somebody is very snarky this morning." Damon notes

"You don't say! And whilst I have you here, thanks for killing my history teacher Uncle Damon, you've just made my life so much more fulfilling than it already is!" Scarlett sarcastically said to Damon, when he walked in the boarding house as this was the first time she had seen him ever since the Tanner incident. The rest of the town all believed the true culprit to be a mountain lion who had been caught according to the morning news that Scarlett had been listening to absentmindedly when she was having breakfast.

"No problem kiddo, couldn't have that ass picking on my niece." Damon replied witch a cocky grin.

Scarlett had no idea what Damon was talking about as he had never spoken to him about Mr. Tanner but she had spoken to Stefan about it and there was no way that Stefan would confide in Damon about something about that. "You nosy bastard! You were eavesdropping on my conversation with Uncle Stefan with your bloody vampire skills! Can you not be a normal Uncle for one moment and just let me have some kind of normal life for a ten minutes or is that too much to ask?"

"Watch the language kiddo! And you should be grateful, the guy was a complete and utter ass to everyone so no one is really going to miss him." Damon replied.

"Grateful? I should be grateful that you've killed yet another person… Have you lost your freaking mind? Or has all the blood and booze that you've been consuming finally gotten to your head and another thing stop calling me kiddo. I may not be as ancient as you Uncle Damon but I'm not exactly a child anymore." Scarlett retorted ignoring the fact that Damon had the sheer nerve to tell her to watch her language.

"You know if I had a little sister, I bet that she probably would have been just like you." Damon pointed out.

"I'm not sure whether that is a insult or a compliment but honestly it is a good thing that it was only you and your two brothers because any sister of yours would have probably lost her mind. Although it's a good thing that dear old Grandpa Giuseppe had another son besides you and Uncle Stefan otherwise I wouldn't be here." Scarlett said with a fake smile.

"Don't know whether that was a good thing or not." Damon replied.

Scarlett scoffed, her Uncle was definitely deluded and seemed rather oblivious. "Whatever Uncle Damon, you've already told me that you think I'm great and if you try and take that back you'll just look like a complete and utter idiot.

"Whatever little one and what is up with that cat of yours? It always hisses whenever it seems me." Damon questioned much to Scarlett's amusement as Lucrezia lazily sat next to Scarlett on one of the many sofas and appeared to be glaring at Damon.

"It has a name and it's Lucrezia and the reason why she doesn't like you Uncle Damon is because she can sense evil." Scarlett quipped and felt mighty proud of herself and that jab and even Damon couldn't help but laugh. Couldn't deny that it was funny, even for Scarlett with her lack of a sense of humour or so Damon had informed Scarlett whenever she had berated him for doing something that she deemed stupid.

"So niece of mine, are you going to the founders party?"

"Hell no!" Scarlett replied as she reached for her school bag and put the textbooks she had left on the couch in her bag as she was going to needed them for school today. Not that she wanted to even go in today but she didn't exactly have a choice in the matter

"And why not? We are of course one of the founding families and some of our family heirlooms are being put on display there or so I'm told. But back to the point little one why aren't you going?" Damon demanded to know.

"Damon we may be a founding family but we're persona non grata at these kind of events, the Salvatore's haven't gone to any of these events in eight years, then there is the fact that I am the so called biggest weirdo in this town." Scarlett explained.

"And your point is? Stefan and I are both going, well not together but we're both going to this little shindig with dates and so should you. It'll be fun and it'll give you chance to do something other than work, study or sleep because you really need to get out more Scarlett. It's kind of unhealthy how much you stay inside…"

"The vampire is telling me that I need to go out more, how ironic." Scarlett said with a shake of her head. "Look Uncle Damon I don't like people in this town and I don't like people in general which is probably due down to the fact that I'm related to vampires so I'm just going to stay in like I always do when it comes to these stupid events."

"Is this because you don't have a date? Is that why you're being more uptight than usual? Does Uncle Damon need to find little Scarlett a date for the big party?" Damon asked and it was clear that he was enjoying this.

"Bite me."

"No thanks, but I will offer to let you tag along with me and my date despite how insulting you've been to me this morning." Damon quips.

Scarlett just rolled her eyes. "I don't need my creature of the night Uncle organizing playmates or offering to let me accompany him and his teenage date like some third wheel. I already have the sad desperate loser version of little orphan Annie going for me and that is more than enough for me to handle."

"Hey! You're my sad desperate loser niece and I saw that you're going, end of story unless you want to get grounded."

"Like hell you can ground me." Scarlett said narrowing her eyes at Damon.

"Try me."

"Fine I will go to this stupid party but don't expect me to stay long or be polite to be people because that just really isn't me. Although you could pay me but you don't exactly have any money nor can you get a job and it's not like your eligible for social security, well you only qualify for one they didn't even have social security in your time seeing as your that old!" Scarlett retorted as she got up off the sofa and grabbed her bag before making her way out the door, she needed to get as far away from her crazy ass Uncle as possible.


	13. Chapter 13

Walking around the Lockwood house idly, bored out of her damn mind Scarlett swiped a champagne flute off the first waiter she saw. She had been here for forty minutes and already she had gone home but dear old Uncle Damon said that she had to stay at a hour unless there was reason for her to leave and sheer boredom did not qualify. Walking out of the room she was in, Scarlett ran straight into Stefan who was with Elena and she was practically hanging off of him. "Hey!" Scarlett wailed as Stefan plucked her drink out of her hand and gave her a look, it was one of disapprovement that only a relative would give such as catching their niece drinking when she was clearly a few years away from being legally able to drink.

"You'll thank me for this later." Stefan teased and Scarlett couldn't help but smirk.

"Hi Scarlett, you look really nice." Elena began.

"Hmm…" Scarlett just grunted in response, not only was she not happy about the fact that she was here but Scarlett was also displeased about the fact that she had to get dressed up for it. Another reason why she hated all of Mystic Falls' pretentious events, the other reason was that she was expected to behave and play nice with people who she really didn't really like, such as in this situation. Stefan was silently warning her to be nice. "So do you Elena."

"Having fun?" Stefan questioned.

"No I'm agonizingly bored, Damon forced me into coming here today, he said that I'd have fun and am I having fun? No way, but twenty more minutes and then I'm out of this circus and until then I am going to attempt to drink away my boredom or I was until you showed up dear cousin of mine." Scarlett sneered with a smile on her face.

"You know if actually did something like socialize Scarlett, you might actually have fun... You do remember what having fun is like?"

Scarlett feigned a look of shook. "Was that a funny Stefan?"

"It's disturbing how much you looked and sounded like Damon when you just said that Scarlett." Stefan couldn't help but point and Scarlett grimaced at the comparison, okay so she knew that they looked sort of similar, enough to tell that they were related but being told that she was starting to sound like Damon was something else.

"And where is the prodigal cousin? I've only seen him once and that was when I first arrived here and I have yet to see him since which is rather worrying as someone really needs to keep an eye on his errant self…" Scarlett said more to herself than the others.

"He's around some where with Caroline." Elena replied and no one said anything to this as it was clear that they all thought the whole Damon and Caroline thing was a bit weird even without the whole vampire thing which only Stefan and Scarlett knew but either way it was still weird and Scarlett was about to make a sarcastic comment about it. However she was interrupted by the arrival of Carol Lockwood.

"Oh Scarlett, I thought that was you! How very nice of you join us, we haven't seen you here in at any of the founders events in eight years, ever since your father… died." Mrs. Lockwood awkwardly said before smiling at the group. "Please enjoy yourself and help yourself to food and drink."

Waiting until Mrs. Lockwood had left Scarlett took back the champagne flute that Stefan had taken from her and downed the contents of it before turning to Stefan and Elena. "That's it, I'm going home!"

"Scarlett…" Stefan began. "I don't think Mrs. Lockwood meant–"

"Puuurlease… Stefan I've unfortunately known these people most of my life and let me tell you something, Mrs. Lockwood meant what she said but all she was doing is putting nice spin on saying that you stopped bothering with us after your dad killed him self and your entire family because recluses. Their snide digs and judgments are ever constant and never changing. And that is exactly why Zach and I don't take part in any of this bullshit or interact with any of their founding families and their crap." Scarlett retorted with a huff.

"C'mon Scarlett don't let Mrs. Lockwood bother you." Elena said.

"Yeah, stay. At least for me."

Scarlett just rolled her eyes in bemusement and annoyance, it was clear that Stefan and Elena had become one of those sickeningly annoying couple who everyone secretly hated "Stefan your a Salvatore, your supposed to be on my side here!"

"I am on your side Scarlett." Stefan pointed out.

"Whatever I'm still going, whenever you run into the Cousin Grimm tell him I've gone home because somebody other than him insulted me and besides it gives me a chance to get out of these, so I will you later." Scarlett said as she took off her heels and left the Lockwood mansion much to her relief. Instead of going back home, she instead went to the grill where she had real food to eat instead of the stupid hors d'oeuvres that were being served at the Lockwood's.

Scarlett didn't actually return home until hours after she had left the founders party, after she had finished eating at the Grill she had started to talking to one of the bar staff and ended up staying longer than she intended to. When Scarlett finally got back home she honestly got the surprise of her when she saw Zach opening the hidden door that led to the basement and Stefan holding Damon in his arms.

"Scarlett…" Zach began.

"What's going on here? Someone had too much to drink?" Scarlett said pointing to Damon who was groaning quietly, looks like somebody had a real good time at the Lockwood's but if it was going to be anyone then it would be Damon.

"We drugged him with vervain, he's been feeding off Caroline Forbes and after everything that he's done since he's gotten here we had to do something to stop him. I spiked Caroline's drink and when Damon fed off her, the vervain went into his system. We're going to lock him in the basement for a few days." Stefan explained.

"What'll happen?" Scarlett questioned.

"The vervain will keep him weak and after a couple days, the lack of blood will cause his body muscle to slowly desecrate and he'll begin to waste away and eventually be left in mummified state. Eventually I'll move Damon to the family crypt and he'll be out of your lives, all of our lives for the foreseeable future and by that I mean at least fifty years." Stefan announced.

"Why didn't you tell me that you were doing any of this? In case you've forgotten I am a rather valued member of this family." Scarlett demanded, not sure what think about all of this because it did sound a bit harsh and disturbing with the whole body wasting away and Damon was going to pissed about this whenever he was 'let out' but on the other hand, with him not around to cause mayhem both the town not to mention Scarlett, Zach and Stefan would all sleep a bit easier. But still…

"The two of you have kind have bonded recently." Stefan began.

"Doesn't mean I approve of everything the man does, just because Damon is my Uncle don't think I just turn a blind eye to what he's capable of and what he's done." Scarlett retorted.

"His ring." Zach said to Stefan.

"Excuse me?" Scarlett asked.

"We need to get rid of Uncle Damon's ring, Uncle Stefan said that Uncle Damon will be weak from the vervain but given the amount of blood drinks on a daily basis what's to say he won't some how get out and regain his strength? We take his ring as a safe precaution so Uncle Damon can't leave the house in the daylight, god forbid he ever get's the chance…" Zach explained as he took a baited breath and took a few steps towards the barely conscious Damon and slipped his ring off his middle finger.

"Give it to me, I'll hide it… I know the perfect place and it's somewhere Damon would never think to look." Scarlett said, this was turning into some kind of family activity and she bore the name Salvatore, which made her family so she figured if the rest of them are involved in this then she should be too.

"Are you sure?" Stefan question eyeing Scarlett wearily.

Truth be told Scarlett wasn't, as much as an annoying pain in the ass Damon was he, whether or not any of them liked it was a part of their family and he wasn't too bad once you got past the blood drinking, killing and the sarcasm not to mention the ego and arrogance but nevertheless she took the ring from Zach. "I'm the last person Damon would think of having his ring, so I'll go hide it first thing tomorrow…"


	14. Chapter 14

"I thought you were working late tonight?" Zach asked as he walked into the kitchen and found Scarlett sitting at the kitchen table eating spaghetti and meatballs, so he grabbed a spoon and a fork from the cutlery draw and sat down and joined her.

"They let me go early because of all the hours I've been putting in lately, I cannot wait to see my pay check at the end of the month. I earned $2870 bucks working this summer although this month salary won't be that much, it'll make my bank balance go up even harder." Scarlett quipped as she watched Zach tuck into her food. Being Italian the Salvatore's of course knew how to make authentic Italian food, it was one of the things passed down throughout the generation along with the whole vampire thing.

"So you left early this morning, I assume it was to hide Damon's ring?" Zach questioned after swallowing a mouthful of spaghetti.

"Yeah I did, it's somewhere safe." Scarlett replied with a nod, early in the morning she had gotten up and headed into the woods, where she walked a good hour or so before she reached her destination. She had decided to hide Damon's ring in the ruins old Salvatore estate that had been destroyed during the battle of Willow creek. Instead of sending it to Timbuktu or Fiji as she had first been inclined to. The old Veritas Estate was were both Damon and Stefan were born and Scarlett found it high unlikely that Damon would ever go there to reminisce. Even if he were to find himself there, Scarlett had hidden the ring somewhere were he wouldn't find it.

"Good. Apparently he still hasn't token up yet which is a relief I guess, a couple of more days Scarlett and he'll be gone for good." Zach reassured Scarlett who chose that moment to eat a mouthful of meatballs. "I heard what happen at the founders party with Carol Lockwood, do you want to talk about it?"

"Not particularly, which reminds me that I have to pick all the things that we leant for that stupid heritage project. I don't want any of our things staying there longer than necessary." Scarlett huffily said.

"It's been eight years Scarlett." Zach said.

"I know how long it's has been Uncle Zach, it was my dad who killed himself." Scarlett quickly replied, she didn't like talking about her dad at the best times even if it was with her dad's brother. The whole subject matter of her and dad and his suicide was a very sensitive not to mention touchy subject, Scarlett didn't like it when people brought it up and only tended to talk up it when she herself felt like talking about it, which wasn't often.

"We need to, seeing as we haven't talked about it once since Uncle Stefan and Uncle Damon came home considering the last time Uncle Stefan came home was–"

"I know what it was!" Scarlett snapped, before taking a deep breath as just thinking about it made her upset. The last time Stefan was here also happened to be the last time she saw her father alive and she didn't really want to dwell on that.

"What's with all the yelling?" Stefan questioned as he walked into the kitchen.

"We're talking about Scarlett's little run in with Carol Lockwood the other day." Zach said with a small smile, showing that he wasn't bothered by Scarlett's previous little outburst.

"You really don't like that woman in general, do you Scarlett?" Stefan teasingly questioned as he joined her and Zach at the table.

"Or her son, well her whole family in general but back to the point I don't like people talking about dad like they knew him, all they see him as is Gabriel Salvatore the coward who killed himself but he wasn't that. He was more than that, he was my dad, my best friend and he most certainly was no coward, dad was my hero." Scarlett retorted.

"You don't have to explain it to us, we know that. Gabriel was a brilliant man and an excellent father." Stefan said in an effort to reassure Scarlett.

"And a good brother, don't forget that." Scarlett added before sighing. "I hate this stupid little town, everyone here annoys me so much except present company and Lucrezia. Why did your father have to settle here Uncle Stefan? Could he not have found another boring little town for our family to thrive in?"

"I don't know Scarlett, my father wasn't one for sharing and I'm afraid it's too late to ask him." Stefan quipped.

"Not funny Stefan." Scarlett retorted.

"You're laughing." Zach pointed out.

"Look Scarlett, I know that people in this town talk because they have nothing better to do with their time and your father's death is a town favourite but don't listen to them. You knew your father and how much he loved you and nothing in this town people can say or whisper about should convince you otherwise." Stefan told Scarlett and she just nodded carefully before changing the subject.

"Have you spoken to Elena since last night?" she asked.

"I left her a message, telling her that I'd be gone for a few days as I was taking care of something and that I'd speak to her when I was back. There wasn't much that I could actually tell her."

Scarlett took another spoonful of spaghetti and once she had finished she looked at Stefan carefully. "So… what are you going to tell her when you finally speak to her? Because if you don't already know Elena is kind of nosy about things concerning you and this family and I say that in the nicest manner of speaking."

"The truth, which is I was taking care of Damon." Stefan replied and both Scarlett and Zach nodded in agreement as it was the only thing that remotely resembled the truth in which Stefan could tell Elena as he certainly couldn't tell her he was a vampire as that was the most important rule in the Salvatore family.

A few minutes passed before Scarlett decided to speak up. "This is nice."

"What is?" Zach questioned.

"This… Family bonding, you know it almost makes us normal except for the fact we've locked Uncle Damon in the basement but I think we can overlook that."


	15. Chapter 15

_Hey everyone, thanks for all the reviews/making this your favourite story! It always makes me smile when it comes up on my blackberry especially like it did this morning! So keep going! Anyway, this chapter gets a little intense and is kind of a game changer for the relationship between Scarlett with both Damon and Stefan. Let's just say this chapter is the catalyst which changes Scarlett's life and this chapter and the next few will focus on Scarlett and Stefan's bond as both friends and relatives but it'll focus more on their relationship as uncle and niece and it'll become obvious pretty soon as to why. Then for Scarlett and Damon, it'll kind of destory the friendly antagonistic relationship they have and let's just say it will have a profound effect on Damon who'll become desperate to fix it. Enjoy xx_

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They say some people can tell when a loved one is hit by a car even if they are half way across the world, it's a psychic jolt of some sorts. Scarlett didn't get things like that, but she got feelings occasionally, bad ones. Like the morning after her father had killed himself, Scarlett remembered climbing out of bed and going downstairs with her doll Lily-Mae, the house was oddly quiet as Scarlett made her way downstairs but that was because Stefan was visiting. However there was something different, something was odd and when she reached the living room, there stood Zach with Sheriff Forbes talking quietly. That itself told an eight year old Scarlett something was wrong as the last time the Sheriff came over was when her Grandpa died.

"_Hi Scarlett." Sheriff Forbes said as she was the first to notice the small girl._

"_Hello Sheriff!" Scarlett began waving her hand before turning her attention to Zach but also looking around for Stefan who she couldn't see anywhere. "Uncle Zach where's daddy? I want him to make me and Lily-Mae pancakes…"_

_Zach looked at Scarlett with a small weary smile on his face before proceeding to pick up his niece. "Sweetheart…"_

Scarlett shook her head in an attempt to get rid of that memory, these last couple of days she couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen and the last time she got a feeling like that, well… it didn't end well. Stefan had assured her plenty of times that nothing was going to happen and that it was just misplaced stress about something and Scarlett just kind of went with it, Stefan was older than her and had more life experience and he'd never steer her wrong so he was probably right. Damon being here probably made her so stressful that she was now convinced something bad was going to happen. Because with him, something bad was most likely to happen.

"Hey loser, your ride is here!" Scarlett called out the window to Stefan as she pulled up beside him as saw him speaking to Matt Donovan, who was listed under dumb jock and therefore of zero relevance to Scarlett. What she did know was that he did used to date Elena so him and Stefan talking was very interesting.

"Thanks for getting me." Stefan told Scarlett as he climbed into her jeep.

"No problemo, I was getting off work so it was on my home although I was sort of surprised when you called I figured you be doing something with Elena." Scarlett murmured as she pulled out of the school car park.

"I don't know where Elena, she kind of just disappeared…" Stefan wearily replied.

"You want to swing by her place?" Scarlett figured and she was rewarded with a smile for her efforts, in the four months that Stefan had been here, she was starting to read him very well. Fifteen minutes later, Scarlett watched as Stefan made his way back into the car after five minutes of knocking on the Gilbert's front door. "Nobody home?"

"She must not be home yet."

Scarlett slowly nodded her and started her car engine and drove for a couple of minutes before finally pulling over and turning off the engine in order to look at Stefan. Although she really did not want to get caught up in his and Elena's relationship issues, she had done some earlier research just in case despite the fact that she tended to avoid any things vampire. Scarlett had begrudgingly read those twilight books, watched a few movies and even watched Buffy – which was the only one that she had liked. But the point was that she had some understanding of human/vampire relationships despite the fact they were all fictional. "Okay… last time I checked and that was two days ago, you and Elena were all loved up again so what's the problem Uncle Stefan?"

"We are, I just would like to know where she was… But that's not what's worrying me, I'm worried about Elena's best friend Bonnie. That car that was set o fire in the parking lot?" Stefan began and Scarlett. "She set, she was in this weird kind of trance and looking at the car and then suddenly it was on fire and when I manage to get Bonnie's attention it went out."

"Umm… right? So Bennett can mysteriously set things on fire, like a psychic pyromaniac?"

"No because she's a witch."

"A witch?" Scarlett sceptically asked. "Like with the pointed hat? Flying broom and black cat kind of witch?"

"Yes." Stefan began and proceeded to tell Scarlett everything he knew about the Bennett witches, including everything he knew about Emily Bennett and how Bonnie was a direct descendent of her's. Which actually took longer than one thought.

"Right… So Bonnie's ancestor Emily was Katherine's handmaiden but she also happened to be a witch and she was the one who made you and Damon the rings that allow you to walk in the sunlight?" Scarlett slowly asked.

"Yeah."

"Cool."

Stefan laughs. "You've wanted nothing to do with vampires and the supernatural but now your cool with witches? Scarlett Salvatore, you are an odd creature…"

"Me odd? Uncle Stefan back in your time there was sex, lies, vampires and witches now that is all odd but sounds very fascinating." Scarlett said with a small chuckle, although Stefan's times lacked any form of modern technology from what Scarlett had been told and knew about that time would have the makings for a great tv show. Although this new found knowledge already affirmed what Scarlett knew to be true about Mystic Falls; it was one hell of a freakily weird town and apparently it was like that back in the ye old days of 1864. It was good to know that nothing changed here.

"You can't say anything about this Scarlett." Stefan warned.

"Uncle Stefan you do realize who you're talking to here? I'm a fellow Salvatore and your niece… the first thing I learnt in life was that I was related to vampires and I was never allowed to tell anybody let alone talk about it with anyone outside the family. I'm good at keeping secrets and the only person I'd ever blab to would be you and Zach." Scarlett quipped.

"Right, that was a stupid thing for me to say."

Scarlett snorted in bemusement. "You don't say."

The two of them sat in Scarlett's car for another hour or two talking about nothing in particular, just talking and joking around until it started getting dark and Scarlett decided that they should leave in order for them not to look like complete weirdo stalker types for sitting outside somebody's house. Twenty minutes later Scarlett pulled up into the driveway of the boarding house and parked her car and her and Stefan got out of the car. "Hey Scarlett!"

"Yep?" Scarlett asked as she turned to face Stefan.

"Thank you for trying with Elena, I know that you don't like people in this town especially from the founding families after what they did to you but I really appreciate you giving Elena a break and trying to get to know her." Stefan said.

Scarlett smiled. "Uncle Stefan I'm not doing it for her, sure she's kind of okay from what I've seen but I'm really doing this for you. There's something about Elena that you like and I know you to be a good judge of character, so if you don't think she's some conceited and pain in the ass moron with a god complex like the rest of the morons in this town then I'm willing to give her chance, for you."

"You are a very good niece." Stefan pointed out as he walked over to Scarlett and put his arm round her shoulders as the two of them made their way towards the front door.

"Uncle Stefan, I'm your only niece!" Scarlett began in a sing song voice before stopping when she saw that the front door was ajar which gave Scarlett a really bad feeling. The front door was always left unlocked when someone was home but the door was never left ajar especially since Damon came home. Stefan removed his arm from Scarlett's shoulder and the two of them shared a look with each other before walking inside.

"What is that…" Stefan slowly says as he takes a couple of steps forward before bending down to look at something, Scarlet slowly crept up behind him to see that it was a dead crow and moments later Stefan took off running. "Zach!"

"Stefan?" Scarlett questioned

"Scarlett stay here!" Stefan replied as he took off running in the direction of the basement and Scarlett just stood there looking at the dead crow before she heard Stefan call out for Zach again and then she realized what this feeling in her stomach meant. The signs were all there, the bad feeling she been having the last few days, the open door and the dead crow. It only meant one thing; Damon.

Running in the same direction that Stefan went in, Scarlett ran down the stairs of the basement into the 'room' that Damon was being held in and what she saw in there was not Damon, weak from vervain. Stefan was crouching by Zach whose neck was contorted in a way that wasn't normal and he wasn't moving. "No…. No.

"Scarlett…" Stefan began looking up.

"Uncle Stefan, do something…" Scarlett said as tears were seconds away from falling, this wasn't happening again, it couldn't be happening again…

"I can't Scarlett… he's dead." Stefan replied and the second Scarlett heard her worst fears confirmed, her legs gave out and she just started crying and shaking her head. Stefan had to be wrong because he couldn't be dead, Zach couldn't be dead because he was her Uncle Zach and he was the who had never left her, the one who had promised to never alone, the one who made everything better when it all was wrong. This couldn't be happening to her once again.

"H-he can't be d-dead, I n-need him…" Scarlett sobbed and the two of them just sat there until Stefan moved away from Zach and pick Scarlett up and carried her out of the basement and back up to the living room before placing her on one the couches. "W-why…"

"I don't know Scarlett but I will take care of it." Stefan promised her before running off again.

Scarlett just cried, it was the only thing she knew and the raw feeling of grief clawed at her stomach she just felt emptiness inside. All she knew was she couldn't do this anymore, not after she had just lost the last person she loved, it was too much for her. This secret of the Salvatore's was going to kill her, just like it did the rest of her family. Four generations in a row had died because of this secret and she would be next… Getting up off the coach Scarlett made her way upstairs to the bathroom closet to her bedroom, she stood in there looking at herself in the mirror for god knows how long before she finally opened the medicine cabinet. Scarlett's hands shook as she reached inside for two small bottles and as she did she head a meow and Lucrezia… Who always knew one something was wrong, but even Lucrezia couldn't fix this one.

Scarlett made her way back down to the living, carrying Lucrezia and the two pill bottles in her arms. When she got there she placed Lucrezia and the pills on the couch before moving to pour herself a very large as in half the glass full, glass of scotch. Sitting on the coach Scarlett opened the bottles, her watery eyes prevented her from reading what they were but it didn't matter anymore. Nothing mattered anymore, all Scarlett knew was that she couldn't go through this, not again especially after what it did to he. So she mixed the pills up, put some of them in her hands and swallowed them with the scotch.


	16. Chapter 16

Stefan walked back into the boarding house feeling very disheartened not only was Zach dead but Scarlett was overwhelmed with grief, Damon was running around somewhere and Elena now knew the truth about what he was and she didn't exactly take it well. Walking into the living room, Stefan looked at the dead crow on the floor and went to move it until he spotted Scarlett sleeping on the couch. Poor kid, he thought to himself. She still wasn't over losing her dad and this thing with Zach was no doubt killing her inside. As he made his way over Stefan noticed two things, a glass of scotch and several pills on the floor and he looked back over to Scarlett and it all added up.

"No…" Stefan began as he ran over to the couch and kneeled down and began to shake Scarlett in an attempt to wake her up. "Scarlett? Wake up, I need you to wake up Scarlett! Don't do this, you don't get to do this to me Scarlett!"

When there was no response Stefan paused for a moment and realized she wasn't breathing and he turned his ear towards her chest to hear for a heartbeat and thankfully there was one. So he had to give Scarlett mouth to mouth in order to help Scarlett start breathing again, he had to do it a few times but eventually she started breathing again. But even then Stefan knew that Scarlett was dying, just by the smell of alcohol and the lack of pills of the bottle he knew that she had probably overdosed on more than enough pills to kill herself. So he did the only thing that he knew would save her life, using his teeth he bit into his wrist and then forced his blood into her mouth. Then there was nothing to do but wait. It must have been a two minutes but it felt like an eternity to Stefan until Scarlett started coughing.

"W-What…" Scarlett began.

"Don't speak, just lay down and rest Scarlett, everything will be okay." Stefan assured her before running to the kitchen to grab her a glass of water. Scarlett accepted the water and carefully sat up to drink it and as she did her eyes wondered to the pills still scattered on the floor.

"Zach…" Scarlett slowly said and Stefan knew just by the look in her eyes that it was all coming back and before long she was crying again and Stefan knew there was nothing he could do to ease her pain so he just sat there with Scarlett until she cried herself to sleep, before moving her upstairs to her bedroom. He'd have to keep a closer eye on her as she could try again not to mention she had vampire blood in her system. She was clearly broken, smashed into a thousand little pieces and left on laying on the ground.

Seconds after Stefan had walked out of Scarlett's bedroom, his phone started ringing and the caller id said it was Damon. The person responsible for all of this. Not wanting to have this conversation anywhere near Scarlett, Stefan decided to take the phone call downstairs. And of course it wasn't about what Damon had done to Zach but about Damon wanting his ring back. "I gave it to Zach to hide, probably shouldn't have killed him."

"…Ah, you almost got me. Where is?"

"I'll get it back, but I need time." Stefan said with a sigh as he looked back towards the house, if Damon wanted his ring back then Stefan was going to ask the one person who knew where the ring was for it and he didn't want to. Not after what Damon had done to her.

"What? Did you FedEx it to Rome? Where is it?" Damon demanded.

"You want the truth Damon? I don't know where your ring is because I gave it to Scarlett to hide and about a hour ago I found her after she tried to kill herself, so she's not exactly in a position to be talking to anyone considering everything that's gone on tonight." Stefan said hoping that this information would make Damon feel bad for what he did but even as he said it Stefan knew it was a long shot.

"Like father, like daughter." Damon snorted.

"Damon this isn't funny! Our sixteen year old niece just tried to kill herself by swallowing a bunch of pills with some scotch all because you killed Zach, the one person who has always been there for Scarlett. Do you not understand that? You killed someone she loved and considering how many people she's lost and how Gabriel died, I don't even know how to fix the irrevocable damage you done yet again to this family." Stefan angrily retorted, he could not believe that Damon had the nerve to make a comparison like that.

"Well clearly she wasn't successful as you said she tried to kill herself." Damon couldn't help point out to Stefan's irritation.

"I already want you dead. Don't give me another reason to make it happen." Stefan warned.

The two of them ended their conversation but threatening each other with Damon telling Stefan to get his ring back, but it wasn't up to Stefan it was all up to Scarlett and the next morning she was a wreck. Not crying like she had previously been but practically catatonic and although she had managed to get herself dress with some prompting, Stefan had to make sure she had eaten before they went into town to meet Elena so he could explain. Until his blood was out of Scarlett's system, she was going everywhere with him as the last thing he wanted to do was accidently let her turn into a vampire after everything she had gone through.

"What do you keep looking at?" Elena asked as Stefan turned back to check on Scarlett who was sitting on a bench in the town square. He didn't want her to be around any of this vampire talk considering… As Stefan turned back to face Elena, it was apparent that she had seen Scarlett too. "Does she know about all of this? Scarlett, I mean."

Stefan grimly nodded as he finished the rest of his coffee. "Yes. She's known her entire life, it's the dark family secret of the Salvatore family which has been passed down through the generations."

"So your not actually cousins then?"

"No, Scarlett is actually my niece." Stefan replied as he placed some money by the coffees and stood up and Elena followed suit back over to the square and Stefan stood and watched Scarlett who sat there with a blank and vacant look across her face. But the grief was all to o clear and familiar to Stefan.

"What's wrong with her?" Elena questioned.

"Those days I was taking care of Damon, I had locked him up in our basement hoping to weaken him so that he wouldn't be able to hurt anybody else but yesterday he managed to get out and he killed Zach. Scarlett and I found the body last night and it was too much for her so she tried to kill herself. She would have died if I hadn't come back in time and saved her." Stefan quietly said.

"Scarlett tried to kill herself…" Elena said in shock.

"It was all too much for her to handle, Zach has been the only consistent person in her life and the only one who hasn't left her and Damon killing him was the final straw. The day that Gabriel kill himself had a profound effect on her and I remember –"

"You were there when her dad killed himself."

Stefan nodded. "Yes but I wasn't in the room when it happened, I had come to visit Zach, Gabriel and Scarlett… By the time we realized what had happened it was too late to save him. Gabriel was already dead. I was too late to save Gabriel and Zach but I got there just in time to save Scarlett… Now she's the last one."

"Last one?"

"The last living Salvatore, everyone else is dead except for Scarlett, which just makes this even worse than it already is…"

Elena looked at Stefan and it was clear she was even more confused that she already was. "Why's that?"

"Scarlett's birthday is next week."


	17. Chapter 17

Swimming, that's what it felt like. The whole swallowing pills thing, that is. It didn't really make any sense but to Scarlett it did. It was like she couldn't swim in everything that was going on, the grief was so strong and Scarlett just felt herself drowning in it but then she swallowed the pills and she wasn't drowning anymore, there was no more fear or worries because she was swimming. Until Stefan saved her life and now it was like she was drowning on dry land.

"Scarlett? The three of us are going to go somewhere together, it's not far I promise you." Stefan said as he and Elena stood right in front of Scarlett on the park bench that she was sitting at and Scarlett didn't respond. She hadn't said a word to anyone since she had woken up because it was too difficult to form to words to say anything but even then what was there to say? Zach was dead and she was all alone. There was no words that Scarlett could use to describe that, terrified sprang to mind but even that wasn't an apt enough description.

No doubt Stefan was convinced that she would try again, which is why she never left his sight unless it was for her to go to the bathroom. Scarlett wouldn't try again because she knew what would happen if she did and that was one thing she never wanted but also, it just seemed to hard to try again so she's stay like this.

After a moment Scarlett stood up and went with Stefan and Elena who ended up driving them through the woods, she didn't pay any attention to what was going on until they pulled up to the old Salvatore house ruins. Before she had come here to hide Damon's ring Scarlett had been here before, about a month after her father died she asked Zach to tell her everything that he knew about the vampires. So he brought here, to the place where it all began. Literally. Scarlett had no idea why Stefan had brought them here and she was pretty sure he didn't know she hid the ring here although Stefan had told her that she need to get the ring back because was willing to hurt others if he didn't get his ring back. The thought of giving _him_ his ring back just disgusted Scarlett so she'd leave it for now, Damon didn't deserve something of such value after what he took from her.

"Wait, how long have you…" Elena began and Scarlett found herself listening into the conversation which was a blessing as Scarlett was starting to get sick of being in her own little world which was completely destroyed.

"I've been seventeen years old since 1864." Stefan replied.

"Oh, my god."

That wasn't the half of it Scarlett thought to herself as she glanced at Stefan briefly before deciding to lay down on the floor and look at the sky hoping that it would give her some piece of mind and from where she lay Scarlett could see Stefan looking at her with a concerned look in his eye before turning to Elena. "You said you wanted to know and I'm not going to hold anything back. Half a century before the… boarding house was even built this was my family's home. Damon and I were both born here, the Salvatore brothers, best friends…"

So Scarlett stayed there listened, much of the story she knew already but some of it she didn't and even then it wasn't much of a distractions especially since Damon was such a vocal point of the conversation.

"That's the thing about Damon, he doesn't get mad. He gets even."

The story continued and all Scarlett could do was listen to Stefan talk and Elena's occasional questions until there was no sound for a second and then all there were was the sound of footsteps approaching Scarlett and turning her head to the left she saw Stefan crouch down beside her. "Scarlett, I need you to tell me where Damon's ring is. Do you remember me telling you this morning that we had to get his lapis lazuli ring back?"

"Damon's ring? What did you do to it?" Elena asked.

"When we locked Damon up in the attack we took the ring and Scarlett hid it somewhere but now we need to give him the ring back."

"No don't Stefan, keep it hidden!" Elena urged and Scarlett's eyes briefly met hers, if she weren't such a wreck then maybe she would have smiled but the way Scarlett felt, she'd probably never smile again let alone be happy ever again.

"Elena if I don't give it back to him, he'll retaliate in the only ay that he knows he can hurt me." Stefan explained as he stood back up.

"And how's that?"

"By hurting you." Stefan said before taking a deep breath. "And Scarlett."

"But she's your family, Scarlett is Damon niece too so why would he hurt her?" Elena counter argued as she followed Stefan who had walked away from where Scarlett was laying and seemed to be in a world of her own but it didn't mean that she still wasn't listening.

"Family doesn't' mean anything to Damon. He's made it quite clear that he's willing to kill them over the years at any time but I thought things were different with Damon when it came to Scarlett. He said he wouldn't hurt her, but he has even if it wasn't in a physical way. It was one thing killing Joseph but killing Zach was something else completely… He's left her completely alone…"

"Okay so what if you give the ring back to Damon what'll happen to Scarlett? She has no relatives left who can take care of her now that Zach is…" Elena questioned and Scarlett had to surpass the urge to start crying every time that she heard Zach's name being mentioned.

"She's staying with me. I'm going to take care of her." Stefan announced and Scarlett's body just tensed up.

"Stefan she needs someone who can properly take care of her after what she tried to do to herself yesterday. You need to go to the police and tell them what happened and they can call social services who can help Scarlett."

"Elena we can't go to the police, if anyone finds out what happened to Zach or what Damon and I are then they'll take her and I won't let that happen. Scarlett has lost practically everyone that she's ever loved and I won't let her lose the only place she has ever called home. I may not be a living relative but I'm her uncle and I'm going to care of her." Stefan stated.

Scarlett was crying despite the fact she wished she wouldn't but she was just so confused, her emotions were all over the place and she just couldn't think properly. Scarlett didn't want Stefan to know so she squeezed her eyes shut and after a while she finally stopped although the pain in her chest didn't lighten up, in fact it just got worse. But more importantly she was exhausted and emotionally drained, Scarlett just couldn't take anymore of this so when Stefan told her that they were leaving she was very much relieved. As they made their way back to Elena's car, Scarlett stopped and looked at the ruins before tuning back and tugging on Stefan's sleeve.

"Scarlett… was is it?"

Shaking her head Scarlett didn't say anything as pulled Stefan along by his wrist to a where the remains of an old statue laid and letting go of him in order so she could bend down and reach underneath the statue to grab the ring from it's hiding place. As much as Scarlett didn't want Damon to have his ring back she wasn't doing this for him. Scarlett was doing this for Stefan because as much as she hated Damon for what he had done to her, it was also hurting Stefan. And she couldn't have that, not after everything Stefan had done and what he was doing for her. Standing back up Scarlett handed Stefan the small piece of cloth that she had wrapped Damon's ring in and handed it over.

"Damon's ring? You hid it here…" Stefan began and Scarlett just nodded. "Thank you, I know how hard this is for you especially after what Damon did and I wouldn't have asked for this back if I wasn't sure that he'd keep hurting people."

"I-I…" Scarlett attempted by she just kept chocking on her own tears, she never thought that she could ever feel so much pain before but then again she had never been drowning on dry land before.

"I know your scared but I won't let him you again Scarlett, if I have to kill him to make sure that your safe then I'll do it. No vervain and locking him in the family crypt in hopes that he'll change his ways, just kill him."


	18. Chapter 18

Scarlett sat in the confines of her bedroom knowing full well that Damon wouldn't come there, not that he could anyway with the door being locked. Stefan and Elena had brought her home because it was clear to them all that she was exhausted not to mention she could barely function properly. Coming into the house had been difficult for Scarlett because at that exact moment yesterday her world was fine, functioning in a well as can be expected dysfunctional way considering Scarlett was in fact related to vampires. Stefan seemed to know what Scarlett was thinking and reassured that Damon wasn't there and he had taken care of everything else, namely Zach's body. Scarlett had to take the long way to her bedroom because she didn't want to anywhere near the basement.

After Elena and Stefan left Scarlett tried to get some sleep but she couldn't fall asleep no matter how hard she tried because if her mind was focused on Zach and her grief, then it wondered back to her being home all alone and Damon being out there. Scarlett finally realized that she wouldn't be safe until Stefan came back, but until then it would just be her and Lucrezia. Having her cat here with her now really made Scarlett think, if anything had happened to Lucrezia nothing would have mattered anymore. Time passed and Scarlett stayed in her room until she heard a loud noise from downstairs and taking a deep breath she made her way downstairs to the living room. When she got there Scarlett saw Stefan, and Damon in the room and heart seemed to stop momentarily and it was if her blood ran cold and all of her worst fears had come alive.

"G-G… Get out." Scarlett stammered, not too surprised how hoarse and shaky her voice sounded considering she hadn't spoken in just under twenty four hours. But she had to say this so she summoned up all the possible courage that she had left in her, after what Damon had taken from her, Scarlett did not want him in her house.

"Excuse me? Damon demanded looking around to check that Scarlett was indeed talking to him.

"G-Get Out of my house Damon… After you killed Z-Zach…" Scarlett began before having to stop in order to take a deep breath. "A-After w-what you did to him, the house and everything else belongs to me and I want you gone so get out of my house!"

"You can't tell me anything Red." Damon scoffed.

Scarlett swallowed the rather large lump in her throat, the whole drowning on dry land feeling was stronger than ever and it was like she was gasping for breath, as much as she wanted to run and hide she had to say this. "I-I am the only living Salvatore, the boarding house belongs to me…"

"I walked in without an invitation Red and you want to know why? Because this house doesn't legally belong to you, at least not until you turn twenty two dearest niece, guess Zach thought that he'd live to see the day when you graduated college…" Damon joked and Scarlett chocked out a sob in realization and stumbled a couple of steps and bumped into table and a ornament fell off it and smashed on the floor.

"I-I…" Scarlett attempted but the words just wouldn't come out of her mouth and instead she just started crying again as she felt the walls come crashing down all around her. This was all too much for her, she had lost Zach and now she had lost her home… Taking a couple of steps backs, Scarlett turned around and ran back upstairs to her room and went into her wardrobe and grabbed the duffle bag that was in there. Rushing around the room Scarlett stuffed the first clothes she could grab and stuffed into her bag, before making her way over to her desk and grabbing the framed photograph of her dad, Zach and herself ten years ago. Scarlett then opened the desk draw and grabbed the note her father had left before he had killed himself and putting it into the bag, she picked up Lucrezia and made her way out of her room and back downstairs.

"Scarlett what are you doing? What's with the bag? Are you going somewhere?" Stefan demanded.

"I-I c-can't do this… I h-have to go." Scarlett sobbed as she made her way towards the door but her feet stumbled and her bag fell out of her hand and Scarlett just shook her head repeatedly before running her free hand through her hair whilst holding onto Lucrezia in her other hand. "I-I can't stay here, I have to go…"

"This is your home Scarlett you don't have to go anywhere, you can stay here. "

"N-No it's not, he took that from me just like he took Z-Zach from me… he's taken everything from me and I c-can't do this… H-He'll kill me Stefan, just like he killed Zach and Joseph… You shouldn't have saved me Stefan, you should have just let me go…" Scarlett cried, it was all spinning out of control and getting so much worse that she just wanted to lie down and never wake up again. The pain of all this was just too much to bare and Scarlett just wanted to escape from it all.

"This is your home Scarlett, it always has been and always will be no matter… And how I could I not save you Scarlett? I know that your hurting, overwhelmed and confused right now but this is not what your father or Zach would have wanted to for you… I told you before that I would be here for you no matter what. So please stay for me, I promise that I won't let him hurt you." Stefan pleaded.

Scarlett looked at Stefan with a worn expression and eyes that looked empty and devoid of all emotions. A broken and damaged shell of the girl she was only yesterday. "I-I'm so t-tired… I want to be able to sleep b-but I can't sleep, no matter how hard I try I see their faces every time I close my eyes, it's like their haunting me Uncle Stefan…"


	19. Chapter 19

Scarlett sat in her car and watched from the car park as the other kids made their way into school, she still hadn't slept and even with the coffee she was still exhausted and the last place she wanted to be was here but they had to pretend everything was normal when it so clearly wasn't. Stefan was taking care of the Vicki situation, two nights ago Scarlett had found out a couple of things after Stefan had convinced her not to leave such as Logan Fell, the reporter from one of the founding families had tried to kill him and that Vicki Donovan, the waste of space druggie that Scarlett worked with at the grill had been turned into a vampire by Damon. That plus Zach's body had been buried in the back yard was more than enough to make Scarlett's insomnia increasingly worse.

Taking a deep breath Scarlett climbed out of her jeep, it was only Monday morning and Scarlett had no idea how she'd get through the week let alone the day considering after school she had a shift at work. After locking her car, Scarlett slowly began taking steps towards the school building. She really wished Stefan was but he was taking of Vicki.

"Scarlett?"

Looking to her left Scarlett saw Elena make her way over to her and despite her best efforts she couldn't bring herself to smile. For one there was nothing to smile about and two it required energy that she didn't have, all of Scarlett's energy was used to drag herself out of bed and to not cry. Scarlett wasn't convinced that she could get through the day, it took Stefan forty minutes this morning to convince her to get up and even then Scarlett just couldn't get herself together properly. "Hi Elena…"

"What are you doing here? I-I thought you'd be at home considering..." Elena began careful not to mention Zach, which Scarlett was eternally grateful for. A week ago Scarlett had hated Elena Gilbert but she had grown on Scarlett in the more recent days, Elena was the first person that Scarlett could talk to outside her family about this vampire thing. It made Scarlett feel less alone and it meant a lot to her at the moment.

"No… We have to go about our normal lives and pretend like nothing is wrong because we can't let anyone know anything is wrong. We have to protect the family secret at all costs but I really couldn't care less right now." Scarlett said with a sceptical scoff, she found using sarcasm made it easier to cope slightly better. "This isn't fair Elena…"

"I know it isn't Scarlett."

"I haven't slept in days, I want to cry until I can't stop or I don't feel the pain anymore and then I'm mad because I have walk around like everything is fine because no one can know that Zach is dead and everyone here is going around with smiles on their face whilst my entire world is falling apart. You know 'm scared to be in my own home because inside the place that used to be my safe haven is three vampires and one of them will eventually kill me." Scarlett admitted, as she bit her lip. The last thing she wanted to do was start crying here.

"It's that bad?" Elena slowly asked in shock and all Scarlett could do was nod, although she knew all of that it did sound a lot scarier to Scarlett when she said it aloud. It made her long for the days when everything was normal, or as normal as it used to be for Scarlett such as going to school and having the other kids and Tanner giving her grief then going to work at the Grill and after that going home to Zach, Lucrezia and whatever guests were at the boarding house.

"It's all his fault, he's taken everything away from me and he has to nerve to makes jokes about my dad and what I tried to do to myself. He makes jokes about everything, like the house and how he doesn't have to be invited in because it won't legally belong to me for another five years. Over the years he's made it known that we live in his house, he only permits us to live in it so we can keep the house in order and he can kill us at any time. He doesn't care about what he's done or who he hurts, he is pure evil…" Scarlett said with a shake of her head, she couldn't bring herself to say Damon's name without feeling sick so she chose not to say it.

"I don't know what I can say to possibly help but I know Stefan cares about you and he said he'd protect you Scarlett and I believe him." Elena said in an attempt to reassure Scarlett.

"He can't protect me from him, he's like boogeyman… You can't hide from him." Scarlett wearily replied, the monster that all children feared fitting Damon perfectly because not only did he make Scarlett fear for her life but was constantly looking over her shoulders now because he had ruined everything as not only was Scarlett scared to be at the boarding house but she was terrified to go back to it. The house would never be the same to her again, it was one thing her dad dying there but Zach being murdered there by Damon was other thing entirely.

"Then don't show him any fear, then he won't be able to hurt you." Elena advise

Scarlett didn't know how to reply to this, she didn't know how to do anything because at this moment she was starting to fell incredibly light headed and things were starting to spin a little. As she walked further into school, things just got worse as Scarlett walked down the hallway. "Elena…. I-I."

"Scarlett?"

"I-I don't feel so good." Scarlett managed to wearily reply as she managed to walk towards the girls bathroom before stumbling in. She felt incredibly weak and she had to grab on to the sink to steady herself but it was no use, moments later Scarlett's legs gave out and her head hit the sink as she fell to the floor and then there was just darkness.


	20. Chapter 20

When she woke up Scarlett had the mother of all headaches, it felt like somebody had hit her over the head with several jackhammers, the room that she was in was completely white not to mention bright and as Scarlett looked around she realized that she was in the hospital in one of the beds hooked to a monitor and an IV. This wasn't good in the slightest, Scarlett needed to get herself out of her and get back to school, Scarlett had barely swing her feet out of bed when Elena and a blonde doctor in his mid forties walked into the room and Scarlett frowned. She was busted. "Don't even think about leaving Miss Salvatore, get right back into bed your not going anywhere yet…"

"Dr. Parker good to see you as always." Scarlett drawled in a tiresome tones as she climbed back into bed, Dr. Ian Parker had been her doctor for four and a half years and he was one of the few people who Scarlett actually tolerated in Mystic Falls.

"You too Scarlett although I would have preferred it to be under for fortunate circumstances, do you recall anything that happened?" Dr. Parker asked.

"Not a thing, I was hoping that you knew… The last thing I remember was getting in my car this morning, everything else is kind of a blank. I don't remember anything until I woke up in here Doc."

"Scarlett we were talking on the way into school and you said that you didn't feel well before you stumbled into the bathroom and seconds later you collapsed and hit your head on the sink." Elena explained.

"Makes sense why my head is killing me…" Scarlett murmured.

"You knocked yourself out Scarlett but the ER doctors did a CT and everything looks fine but you did have to get a few stitches and Miss Gilbert did tell me that you've been having trouble sleeping and things have kind of been stressful and you've been going through a few things recently, is that true Scarlett?" Dr. Parker asked.

"Yeah." Scarlett admitted, things in her life had been a bit hectic to say the least and it seemed only to get worse as at that precise moment Damon waltzed into the room. "What are you doing here!"

"Your school called said you had some kind of accident and seeing as Zach isn't around I came instead." Damon quipped and Scarlett just shook her head in annoyance but as she did Scarlett felt a tightness in her throat and her heart felt like it was racing a million miles an hour and as the machines that she was connected to all started beeping erratically Scarlett felt short of breath and as if there was an immense pain in her chest.

"Stand back…" Dr. Parker said as he motioned for Elena and Damon to go to the back of the room.

"What's going on?" Elena called out.

Scarlett ignored all the commotion going on around her as she tried to concentrate, she needed to do what Dr. Parker called a Valsalva Maneuver but no matter how hard she tried it didn't seem to help or relieve the pain. "N-Not working." She barely managed to say.

"Yes it will, just try again… You can do this." Dr. Parker assured her and closing her mouth, Scarlett pinched her nose shut whilst pressing out as if she was blowing a balloon and after a minute or two she felt the pain slowly decrease and once it had fully gone, she leant back into the bed and Dr. Parker placed an oxygen mask on her. "Without talking how much pain were you in on a scale of 1-10?"

Scarlett held up six before changing it to a seven.

"Six and a half?" Dr. Parker figured and Scarlett nodded slowly. "Right I'm going to run a EKG on you, see how your heart is doing…"

"Heart? Is there something wrong with Scarlett's heart?" Elena questioned.

"I'm sorry Ms. Gilbert I can't reveal a patient's condition to anyone who isn't family." Dr. Parker said.

"You can to me." Damon said speaking up. "Damon Salvatore, Scarlett's cousin and legal guardian as Zach has had to leave town for a while… So what's wrong with her?"

"Well Mr. Salvatore, Scarlett was brought in because she collapsed and that's because not only was she very dehydrated but also exhausted before of a lack of sleep but what just happened is because of a condition that Scarlett has had for the last couple of years. Scarlett has a heart arrhythmia, which is an irregular heartbeat that occurs because the impulses in her heart that co-ordinate her heartbeats don't work properly. But that doesn't mean that Scarlett's heart doesn't work because it does, in fact it's perfectly healthy."

"Her heart doesn't beat properly and your saying it's fine." Damon demanded and Scarlett just flipped him the bird.

"There's no need to be impolite Scarlett…" Dr. Parker warned before turning his attention back to Damon. "Yes I am Mr. Salvatore, arrhythmias don't just affect people with serious heart diseases but can also affect healthy individuals… Scarlett has what we call Atrioventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia or AVNRT if you will, all it means is that her heart beats a little faster than it should. It's serious as any heart condition is but not life threatening and it doesn't need to be managed with medication."

"So that's it?" Damon demanded much to Scarlett's bemusement.

"In a nutshell but Scarlett's been taught various ways to make her rate slow down when it goes to fast and since we diagnosed her a few years ago I've stressed the important of how vital it is for her to keep track of when she has symptoms and it's important to avoid the overuse of caffeine, nicotine, alcohol and drugs but also the amount of stress in her life. From what I've heard Scarlett hasn't been sleeping and she is under a tremendous amount of stress right now which isn't good for her heart Mr. Salvatore."

Scarlett took over the oxygen mask and slowly rose. "When can I leave? I have work…"

"Firstly you're still being rehydrated and two after what just happened your staying under 24 hour observation and lastly no work a week at least, doctors orders. I know your still working at the Grill and after my shift I'm going to talk to Robert to make sure of that. Now I'll be back in a while so stay in bed and try and get some rest…" Dr. Parker ordered before leaving the room.

"You did this…" Elena said after moment, shoving Damon in the chest repeatedly. "This is all your fault! After everything you did with Zach and Vicki! She is your family Damon and she could have died because of everything you've done to her!"

Scarlett scoffed. "Must be so disappointed…"

"I didn't know that she had a heart condition." Damon gritted through his teeth.

"Don't start pretending you care all of a sudden, just go and leave me alone…"


	21. Chapter 21

Scarlett pulled up the driveway of the boarding house and turned off her car engine, her twenty four hour observation at the hospital was over and she had been discharged. She was under orders to rest but it was nothing that she couldn't do at home although Dr. Parker had called both the school and her work to tell them that she wasn't coming into either places for a couple of days. Now she was going back to the madhouse which was housed one human, one cat and three vampires. Scarlett had to take a deep breath as she thought about this, Dr. Parker had made a point of making it very clear that she needed to keep her stress levels down. Her condition wasn't that serious as her heart palpations didn't happen that often but it could get worse if she wasn't careful.

Getting out of her car, Scarlett made the short distance up the rest of the driveway and to the front door, where she walked into the living room and spotted Stefan coming down the main stairs. "Hey… I'm home."

"I didn't think you were coming home until later but I'm so glad that your home…" Stefan stated as rushed down the rest of the stairs and came over to Scarlett and hugged her. "How are you doing?"

"I'm good." Scarlett replied.

"I am really sorry that I couldn't come and see you it's just that I'm dealing with Vicki and I'm not going to go in to details because you don't need to be worrying about it although there's nothing worry about. I'm getting there, it's a work in progress… but you look much better Scarlett."

"I feel like these last four or five days have been a very long year, the whole Zach thing is hard but being in the hospital did me good. I managed to sleep for the first time in days, it's amazing what a twelve hours of sleep will do when you haven't slept in close to four days. They made sure I ate and was properly hydrated, I feel better than I have in days. With everything that has gone these last few days I completely forget about the arrhythmia…"

"Why didn't you tell me about your heart condition?" Stefan asked with sad kind of smile on his face, which made Scarlett feel bead.

"It wasn't intentional Uncle Stefan, it's just that it was easier not to tell anyone… We found out about the arrhythmia two weeks after my dad died, Dr. Parker suspects I may have had it long before then but what happened then made the symptoms more noticeable. That's why I was home schooled for a year, I needed to be fully aware of my condition and how to manage it. Stress is a very big factor in it so having me go to school and be around people under the circumstances at the time wouldn't have been good…"

"But your okay? Elena and Damon explained some of it bur neither of them really knew what they were talking about, all they really said was you have a heart condition and it causes your heart to beat faster then it should."

"That's basically it, if you like we can sit down later and I can explain it to you in proper detail but I'm fine Uncle Stefan. Yesterday I was a mess and everything that I was going through just got too much for me to handle and then I collapse. Add the stress that it put on my body to the emotionally distress I was going through it's clear to see why my heart started getting worked up. But I'm fine, Dr. Parker my cardiologist always takes good care of me, I had an EKG yesterday and this morning before I left the hospital and they were very good."

"He feels bad." Stefan said after a brief pause and Scarlett knew he was talking about, Damon had respected Scarlett's wished and left when she asked him to. For once.

"Damon feels bad? He was the reason I landed up in the hospital." Scarlett said with a scoff.

"I can't and I won't make any excuses for what Damon did but I don't think he ever wanted to put your health at risk, if he knew about your heart before hand…" Stefan began before being interrupted by Lucrezia who had quietly crept into the room and had attached herself to Scarlett's ankle. "She's missed you, sat in your room while you were gone waiting for you to return."

"I've missed her, you and Lucrezia are all the family that I have left and despite what the family has to done recently, we have to keep calm and carry on so I'm going to take it one day at time. My world fell apart once before but I manage to recover from that and so I'm going to that again. When dad died I had Zach who I could depend on with Zach gone now too, I have you so I'm not alone. I never had a chance to thank Zach for everything he did for me so I want to thank you in advance. Thank you Uncle Stefan." Scarlett said, the drowning on dry land feeling that she had been having for the last few days was still there but it wasn't as bad anymore. Now it was less drowning and more like floating.

"You hungry? Not that I've spent much time in hospitals but I hear the food is pretty terrible." Stefan quipped and it caused Scarlett to smile broadly. "How about I whip you something to eat."

"That sounds great, I'm gonna go upstairs and take a shower and change these clothes so I can try and get rid of the smell of the hospital off my skin." Scarlett said giving Stefan a small wave before making her way up the stairs. As Scarlett walked down the hallway to her room with Lucrezia, she saw Vicki Donovan of all people coming out of her bedroom. "Errm… What were you doing in my room?"

Vicki looked slightly bewildered before letting out an odd sort of laugh and Scarlett frowned, she was going to set some boundaries for Damon's new pet, the first one being not to go in her room. She may not be able to get rid of Vicki but that didn't mean Vicki had to forget that she was a guest in somebody else's house. "This house is freaking awesome! I always imagined what the inside of this house looked like… we all heard the stories about what went on in here, it must be so weird for you living in the house that your dad killed himself in."

There wasn't even time for Scarlett to blink when something sped past Scarlett and pushed Vicki up against a wall by her throat and it took Scarlett a moment to realize that it was Damon doing this and she had to blink several times to make sure she was seeing this. "You don't speak about that ever, don't even think about it or I will kill you again and you want come back from it." Damon hissed and after a few moments he let Vicki go and she skulked off back down the hallway leaving Scarlett, Damon and of course Lucrezia.

Scarlett wearily looked at Damon before scoffing and walking past him towards her room before stopping and looking back "Careful Uncle Damon, I might actually start to believe that you care…"


	22. Chapter 22

Seventeen. That's how old Scarlett was now but it didn't feel like her birthday, it didn't really feel like anything probably because Scarlett had put her birthday to the back of her mind due to recent events. All Scarlett was planning to do today was stay in the house considering it was the weekend and her birthday was always a low key event. Last couple of years it had just been her and Zach, this years was Scarlett and a bunch of vampire. Scarlett thought about how things could change in a years as she made her way into the kitchen to have breakfast. But as she entered the kitchen she was shocked to see Damon, she hadn't seen him since the night she tried to kick him out the house. Well there was the scene at the hospital but that didn't count because Scarlett had been avoiding him before that point and he had come and found her.

"Scarlett." Damon began.

"Uncle Damon." Scarlett wearily replied as she went to go make herself a cup of camomile tea, considering Stefan wasn't letting her go anywhere near coffee or anything that had caffeine in it. "Where's your little creation?"

"Upstairs, still sleeping probably. I don't really know, Stefan's been dealing with her so I haven't seen much of Vicki." Damon stated and it caused Scarlett to scoff and roll her eyes. That was typical of Damon, create a huge mess and then leave the mess for someone else namely Stefan to clean it up. Scarlett was glad that she was only child as she had no idea how she would cope if she had a sibling especially if they were anything like Damon. It made Scarlett feel for Stefan even more. "How have you been?"

"Perfectly fine, I have a simple heart condition Uncle Damon it doesn't mean that I'm dying anytime soon although that must be rather disappointing to you considering how much you like killing relatives." Scarlett offhandedly commented.

"Stefan told me that it's your birthday today." Damon said trying to make conversation much to Scarlett's annoyance and confusion, he had been acting very peculiar ever since she had come home and Scarlett really didn't like it. Considering how un like himself he was behaving.

"Apparently so, although I'm no where near as old and frankly damaged as you are Uncle Damon but give it a couple more months living under the same roof as you and I will be if I'm not dead by then."

"I'm sorry." Damon said after a moment and Scarlett couldn't actually believe what she was hearing, the big bad vampire was apologizing to her today of all days? Somehow she couldn't quite believe it nor did she want to.

"What did you just say to me?" Scarlett demanded.

"That I'm sorry for what happened, I'm sorry about Zach." Damon admitted.

"Do you think that'll fix or make up for everything that you've done since you've got here Uncle Damon? You know up until just under two weeks ago I had never met you, I had just read the journals and been told the stories of my Uncle Damon who made every single member of this family fear for their life. And it seems like it was with good reason that everyone was scared of you and you knew that... That's why Zach never had his own family and why I asked you if you were going to kill me when you first arrived." Scarlett retorted.

"I said that I wouldn't hurt you Scarlett and I meant it."

"I know what you said but that didn't stop you from coming smack in the middle of my life and destroyed everything, killing the only person who has always been there for me and promised that he'd never leave me. Zach was everything to me, he was the one who took care of me after my dad died, all the times when I was in the hospital getting poked and prodded because of tests. He was a good man who didn't deserve any of what you did to him." Scarlett yelled.

"Scarlett…" Damon began.

"I tried to kill myself because of you! I couldn't sleep or do anything because of you and I landed up in the hospital because of what you did and you go and make jokes about it likes it nothing. I don't know why you did this to the people who are supposed to be your family and how you live with yourself is beyond me. But I'll tell you one thing Uncle Damon, you can be sorry for what you did but whether I believe you or not is another thing. This guilt that you so apparently have now, I hope it stays with you for the rest of your life because my forgiveness isn't something you'll get in my lifetime and as soon as the house legal belongs mine, I'll make sure that you can never be able to set foot in it again." Scarlett said in a rather determined manner.

Damon looked at Scarlett for a brief moment before disappearing for a moment only to return moments later with a box that was wrapped up with silver wrapping paper with several holes in it that had a blue bow on the lid. Damon placed the box on the counter near Scarlett and turned to her once more. "Happy birthday Scarlett."

Moments later Damon left and Scarlett decided that she wasn't going to open it as it most likely had something odd or dead in it, until she noticed the box was moving. Now Scarlett was curious and ever slowly but carefully she approached the box and picked up the note that was sitting underneath the bow. _Something to make you feel a little less alone – Damon._

Wondering what on earth her deranged murdering Uncle could have possibly meant Scarlett lifted up the lid and instead of finding something dead inside, she found a black kitten. And Scarlett had to blink several times to make sure she wasn't imaging things. When it became apparent that the kitten was really there, Scarlett picked it up and read the name tag that was on the red collar. Violetta. Scarlett didn't know why but she felt kind of bad now.


	23. Chapter 23

Scarlett sat in the middle of the dining room with Violetta climbing up and down her legs, Lucrezia was sulking around the house somewhere, annoyed at the fact that there was a new edition to their little group. It was cute though as was Violetta, reminding Scarlett of how Lucrezia was like when Scarlett got her two years ago. Hard to believe that Damon had got her a cat, guess some part of him actually did care on some level.

"Hey! There you are Scarlett, I've been looking all over the place for you… Happy birthday Scarlett!" Stefan said as he walked carrying two wrapped presents.

"Thank you Uncle Stefan, now we're the same age physically I mean… You look the same as you did nine years ago whilst I was considerably a lot smaller which is scary to think about, but anyway thank you for the birthday wishes. It's going to take me a while to get used to the fact that I'm now seventeen, for the next six months when anyone asks I'll say sixteen before realizing…" Scarlett noted in bemusement as Violetta crawled out of her lap and slowly and carefully made her way over to Stefan as in a curious yet unsure way as he was a stranger to her after all. But Stefan being the cat whisper and Lucrezia's best vampire buddy was already well versed in cat etiquette held out his index finger for Violetta at the same height as her nose.

Scarlett watched as after a moment kitten walked towards Stefan's finger and sniffed it a few times and then Violetta fell hook, line and sinker. Given the fact that she rubbed her cheeked along his finger and after a moment Stefan picked her up and Scarlett was in shock. Yet another one of her cats liked Stefan more than they liked her. "Hey pretty kitty, where'd you come from?" Stefan cooed.

"Your brother." Scarlett stated which took Stefan off guard judging by his reaction to this titbit of information. "Apparently Violetta is gift for me, something to make me feel a little less lonely than I already am. I have to admit that I was not expecting a birthday present from your brother and I never expected a cat of all thing, maybe a fake cat's skull but never an actual kitten."

"Damon brought you a kitten, seriously?" Stefan questioned still in disbelief and Scarlett just nodded.

"I know I'm still in shock about it considering he apologized from what he did and I yelled at him for a bit and then he just gave me the box that Violetta was in before leaving… Lucrezia's not too happy about any of this, I'm going to have to sweeten her up somehow." Scarlett dismally replied.

"Wait? Damon apologized?"

"Yeah, it kind of knocked me for six as he was behaving very much unlike himself and I don't know what to make of it all. Whilst I will never forgive Uncle Damon for everything that he has done, I know that he isn't exactly one for apologizing but he did apologize. And he also threatened to kill Vicki if she ever spoke about what people say about the house and what happened to my dad. So I thought about it and what would a normal person do in a situation like this. The first thing would be running out of this house screaming my head off whilst I run to the police station and get the founders council to come and kill Uncle Damon but then I remembered I'm not normal. And as much as I hate to say this but he is family and I've already lost enough relatives as it is. I could try and punish him for it but Uncle Damon doesn't seem to respond to that, so I'm going to be–"

"The bigger person in all of this?" Stefan finished off.

"Exactly but that doesn't mean I'm going to be all buddy buddy with him, I'm going to be keeping him at an arm's distance." Scarlett replied.

"Well that's very mature of you Scarlett but speaking of gifts, I have a couple of things for you." Stefan said as using one hand he pushed the present he had brought with him down the table.

"Uncle Stefan, you didn't have to…" Scarlett began.

"Spoil my only niece? I think I did actually!" Stefan quipped and Scarlett picked up the first present, it was definitely a book judging by the think rectangular shape of it and unwrapping it Scarlett saw that it was indeed a book, a hard back book entitled Le Fantôme de l'Opéra or in english The Phantom of The Opera. "The saw the book in your room the other day and how worn it is and I know it's a favourite of yours, so I figured I'd get another copy although I was surprised at first when I saw that you had the french edition instead of an english translation."

"It's on odd quirk of mine, I prefer reading books that have been translated into english in their original context as I like reading it as the author intended." Scarlett explained.

"I don't think it's odd." Stefan replied and laughing Scarlett moved onto the next gift and unlike the previous she couldn't guess what it was as it had no shape, all Scarlett knew was that it was something that involved some kind of material and opening it up, the look on Scarlett's face was princess.

"How'd you know I love Moby Dick? Nobody knows that except for…" Scarlett demanded as she held up the blue Moby Dick book cover fleece.

"Zach. A couple of weeks back we started talking about your birthday and he told me about your ninth birthday or specifically what you did that night." Stefan explained.

"Moby Dick was an old favourite of my dad's and he had a copy of it from when he was in his teens and I kept it in my room. My ninth birthday was my first birthday without him and I saw that night when it was time for bed and I asked Zach if we could read it together. We read a couple of pages every night and we finished it in eight months. After that I kept it in my desk and only took it out on the days I really missed my dad." Scarlett said with a small smile on her face before she put the fleece on and rolled up her arms and then climbed off the dining room table so she could hug Stefan. "Thank you Uncle Stefan."

"That's not it, come with me." Stefan said walking out of the dining room still holding Violetta and Scarlett just went along and followed him into a kitchen were a chocolate birthday cake was sitting on the counter with candles and everything.

"This is way too much Uncle Stefan." Scarlett couldn't help but point out.

"Nonsense you'll only turn seventeen once!" Stefan quipped as he started to light the candles and Scarlett couldn't help but laugh, it was funny hearing age jokes form him considering he'd been seventeen for almost a hundred and forty six years now.

As Scarlett watches Stefan light the candles she heard footsteps coming towards the kitchen and she turned to see that it was Damon, when his eyes met Scarlett's he made his way to turn around and leave until Scarlett called out to him. "Come and join us Uncle Damon."

Damon looked at Scarlett with a puzzled look who gave him a 'do what I told you' look and when he turned to Stefan, his brother just gave him a look that said go with it. "Okay then…"

Nine years ago Scarlett celebrated her last birthday with both her father and Zach, it was a quiet affair with just the three of them and a chocolate cake in the kitchen. Go forward nine years and it was like nothing changed as there was a cake and two brothers except for the fact Scarlett was older and instead of celebration with her father and his brother, her Uncle Zach she was now celebrating with her two vampire Uncles. Concept was the same but the people had changed. But in the end they were still The Salvatore's, they were a family and that's all that really mattered.


	24. Chapter 24

Tiredly rubbing her eyes Scarlett made her way down the hallway from her room towards Stefan's room, today was his big one hundredth and sixty second birthday and after the last week they had they could all day with something to celebrate. A few days ago Vicki was staked by Stefan after escaping from the house and trying to kill Elena and her brother Jeremy. Scarlett only found out about this after it happened as both Stefan and Damon were trying to keep her stress level down and let's just say she wasn't too happy about being kept out of the loop about that. Walking into Stefan's room Scarlett was surprised to see him talking with a blonde woman in a rather animatedly manner. "Hey…" she wearily began.

The blonde woman got and made her way over to Scarlett and walked around her carefully surveying her much to Scarlett's confusion. "This must be the infamous niece I've been hearing so much about, she's very beautiful…"

"Umm… Thanks?" Scarlett wearily replied.

"Scarlett this is my best friend Alexia Branson." Stefan said making the introductions. "Lexi, this is indeed my niece Scarlett Salvatore."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Alexia, Stefan's told me so much about you I kind of feel bad for not recognizing you earlier given how much he's told me about you." Scarlett said as Stefan had indeed told her all about his best friends and all the adventures that the two of them got up to whenever they were together.

"Please call me Lexi."

"Sure."

"Hey Scarlett is it okay if Lexi crashes her? She doesn't have a ring that allows her to walk in the daylight and it'll only be until tomorrow at the latest." Stefan asked.

"Uncle Stefan it's your birthday of course Lexi can stay and speaking of your birthday, here this is for you, happy birthday! It's not much but I think you'll like it." Scarlett said handing over the tube parcel that she had over to Stefan and she watched as he opened it up with a bemused look before tilting it to the side so the poster that as inside would come out. When Stefan got it out and rolled it out, the bemused look on his face fell and it was replaced with absolute shock.

"No way…" Stefan said and Lexi made her way back over to him to have a peek.

"What is it?" She piped in interest.

"A signed poster of Taxi Driver signed by Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Cybill Shepherd, Peter Boyle and Harvey Keitel… Are these all hand signed?" Stefan asked and Scarlett just proudly nodded with a grin plastered on her face. "Seriously? This must have cost you a fortune Scarlett…"

"You love the film and I wanted to get you something special as it's not everyday my Uncle turns one hundred and sixty two plus it was the least I could do after everything you've done for me recently. So I don't want to hear any buts about it Uncle Stefan. That poster belongs to you now." Scarlett quipped.

Stefan put the poster back into the tube before walking over to Scarlett and hugging her. "Thank you very much, I will treasure this always."

"See… I can tell Scarlett is related to you by how kind and welcoming she is despite the fact that I'm a vampire but seriously Stefan was Damon adopted? There's you and Scarlett who make sense and then there is Damon, who absolutely doesn't!" Lexi demanded.

"Speaking of Uncle Damon, you've got to be at the police station in half an hour to deal with the mess that was left after he made Vicki a vampire thing and speaking about your brother's messes I've somehow been roped into helping him as he promised the Sheriff he'd get her some vervain for the council so I have to pick it for him seeing as he can't touch it and grow it for him…" Scarlett replied with a shake of her head.

"I'm sorry, I will talk to him and remind Damon that you are our niece and not his personal maid, I thought after everything he would ease up a bit when it came to you but I see that Damon is still Damon." Stefan replied with a heartfelt sigh. "Any other plans for today?"

"I have to go to the Grill to go pick up my pay check and then back to the hospital."

"Hospital? Are you okay? Is it your heart?" Stefan demanded.

"I am perfectly fine, I just have to get my stitches removed that is all so I will see you both later." Scarlett said bidding the two of them goodbye. After providing Damon with the vervain he needed Scarlett left the boarding house to her house to run her errands and she returned home a few hours later. With nothing to do in the house Scarlett chose to lay down with her head at the end of the book and read a book to kill sometime until there was something else for her to do. And she got so caught up in her book Scarlett failed to see Lexi standing over with a bemuse expression on her face.

"You are who you pretend to be–" Lexi began

"So be careful who you pretend to be…" Scarlett finished as she sat up and placed her book on the bed. "You're a Kurt Vonnegut face?"

"Die hard thanks to Stefan, Mother Night is my absolute favourite book of them all." Lexi beamed. "So Little Miss Scarlett, there is a party tonight at some place at the grill and you, me and Stefan are all going so up you get."

"Is that so?" Scarlett asked in bemusement.

Lexi laughed as she made her way over to Scarlett's wardrobe and rifled through it until she pulled out a bright red causal yet fun dress that Scarlett had brought a couple of weeks ago and held it out to her. "Wear this, with your legs, complexion and cheekbones you will look absolutely more gorgeous than you already are. You know I like you Scarlett, you're like a human mix of both the Salvatore boys. You have the features of Damon but the personality of Stefan…"

"Thanks…"

"I heard about what happened to you recently, how are you doing?" Lexi questioned.

"Honestly? I'm suffocating, I have bad days, even badder days and then the occasional good day. But I'm getting there, Uncle Stefan's been a big help with all of it…" Scarlett admitted.

"It's weird hearing you calling him that but I know Stefan loves it, he's really fond of you Scarlett. He worries about you immensely but that's normal, Stefan wouldn't be Stefan if he weren't worrying about something…" Lexi began before taking a deep breath. "Can I just ask are you not creeped out by the fact that this Elena girl looks just like Katherine? He did tell you about Katherine, right?"

"Oh yeah I know, and it is a little weird but from what I've been told about Katherine and what I've seen from Elena they are two different people. I'm still a bit wary of it all and I will admit that I wasn't exactly Elena's biggest fan until recently but Uncle Stefan loves her and they seemed happy together until Elena found out the big secret." Scarlett said with a heartfelt sigh before shaking her head, there was no pointing on dwelling on the subject matter if there was nothing they could do about it. "So this party at the grill, how comes I didn't hear about it when I went to go pick up my paycheck?"

Lexi casually shrugged through her shoulders as she continued to riffle through Scarlett's wardrobe. "Damon told us about it and I thought it sounded like a good idea."

"We're going to a party that Uncle Damon told us about…" Scarlett slowly and sceptically said, it didn't exactly sound like a good idea considering Damon wasn't exactly the most trustworthy and reliable person around and that was without the whole vampire thing.

"Seriously Scarlett you and Stefan… The two of you are two pea's in a fricking pod man!" Lexi chimed with a shake of her head. "Don't worry about it Scarlett! Trust me nothing is going to happen at this party except for the fact I am going to get you and Stefan very drunk and we are going to have a very good time tonight!"


	25. Chapter 25

Normally Scarlett wasn't one for going to parties but there was something about Lexi that made her agree to come along and to Scarlett's surprise she was actually having a good time at the Grill, especially when Lexi was sneaking her drinks when Stefan wasn't looking. The three of them were all having fun especially Stefan, it was weird to see him so relaxed and easy going but if anyone deserved a night of fun then it was Stefan. The guy was way older than his years and sometimes he needed to be reminded that he was young, in a manner of speaking. Scarlett sat at a table drinking her drink when Damon sat down next to her and swiped her drink. "Hey! That's mine and I was drinking it!"

"You shouldn't be drinking as firstly your underage and secondly it's bad for your health so as your Uncle I'm confiscating the drink for your benefit." Damon quipped as he started drinking Scarlett's drink.

"Well I'll see your underage comment and raise you the fact that this is party full of teenagers and everyone here is underage but getting served with their fake id's with the exception of you, Stefan and Lexi who are seriously overage. And a word of friendly advice Uncle Damon? Bit creepy that you're hanging around at a high school party."

"So I can't celebrate my brother's birthday now?" Damon demanded feigning upset and even pouting for good measure and Scarlett just rolled her eyes, Damon was so over dramatic.

"If I was talking to anyone else I might believe that but this is you were talking about, you have this deep seeded and age long estrangement with your brother which goes beyond the norms of what us regular people define as sibling rivalry. Which brings me on to another manner, how did you find out about this party? And it's rather convenient that a party was just thrown together the same day of Uncle Stefan's birthday by Caroline of all people considering what you did to her." Scarlett couldn't help but point out.

"You know for someone so young, you are awfully cynical and suspicious Red." Damon retorted.

"Being related to vampires tends to do that to you." Scarlett quipped much to the bemusement of Damon and the two of them just looked at each other before laughing. Although Scarlett doubted Damon would be laughing if he found out Violetta had peed on one of his favourite shirts so she'd keep that tiny bit of information to herself.

Damon smirked and patted the top of Scarlett's head in an affectionate manner before standing up. "Well as lovely as this was, I've got to run as I have a couple of things to care off but I will see you later Red so no more drinking.

"Whatever!" Scarlett replied taking her drink back and finishing the rest of it before sticking her tongue out at Damon and walking away from him where she was soon commandeered by Lexi who dragged her over to where she was dancing with Stefan. The three of them dancing and laughing together made everything that had happened recently seem like a memory of a different lifetime. And then they decided to play pool.

"C'mon Scarlett! What do you mean you won't play?" Lexi demanded.

"Um… it requires aim and hand eye co-ordination, something which I severely lack!"

Stefan couldn't help but laugh as he got ready to break. "What are you talking about? You're a waitress Scarlett! In fact you're the best waitress I've ever seen."

"Thank you for the kind words but seriously me and pool are not a good thing." Scarlett said holding her hands up and backing out of the game, instead choosing to watch Lexi and Stefan play instead until Lexi disappeared to go and talk to Elena.

"You seem happier." Scarlett noted. "With Lexi being here."

Stefan smiled. "I am happy that Lexi is here but it doesn't mean that I wasn't happy before she came when it was just the two of us because I was. I have fun with you and I have fun with Lexi, two of my closet friends!"

"This is me you're talking to Uncle Stefan and even I can say these last couple of weeks haven't exactly been fun and most of it's been down to me being all of over the place. But my original point which I failed to convey was that I'm glad that you're happy. You deserve to he happy." Scarlett replied and after her and Stefan fell into a mindless chatter until Scarlett excused herself to go to the bar and order a coffee. There was no way she could drive home like this and she had work in the morning so being hungover or still drunk was not an option.

"Miss Scarlett is that coffee I see in your hands?" Lexi demanded as she approached the bar.

"Someone's got to be the responsible one and drag yours and Stefan's drunken ass' back to the boarding house so alas this is a coffee in my hand." Scarlett quipped and was rewarded with a kiss on the cheek by Lexi who then proceeded to wonder off. So Scarlett sat there at the bar quietly drinking her coffee and sobering up until she noticed Sheriff Forbes and two of her deputies come in and proceeded to drag a weakened Lexi out of the Grill. Looking around Scarlett's eyes met Stefan's and she got up to follow him out of the building.

The two of them along with Elena tried to go out of the front exit but they were blocked by two other deputies Scarlett led them out of the exit that was at the back of the Grills kitchen and as they did, shots could be heard and the three of them ran round the back of the building to see Damon plunge a stake into Lexi's chest. Scarlett had barely clasped her hands to her mouth when Stefan pulled her and Elena back round a corner so no one would see them. They watched as Lexi's body fell to the ground and after the Sheriff, Damon and the deputies came Scarlett just felt numb as if her insides were frozen. The three of them stood there for about ten minutes trying to let everything sink in before Stefan took off.

"Stefan…" Elena called out as her along with Scarlett followed Stefan to the square and when Elena grabbed him, he just yanked his arm away before turning around to face them. "Stefan!"

"He killed her! He killed Zach, he killed Tanner, he turned Vicki, Scarlett almost died of what Damon has done. I have to kill him." Stefan stated as he voice sounded weary and heartbroken.

"No you can't do that!" Elena stated.

"Everywhere I've been, pain and death follow; Damon follows me. No more." Stefan said in a rather determined manner.

"Stefan please." Elena began. "Please just- just talk to me; let me be here for you. Talk to me!"

"No. You were right to stay away from me." Stefan stated before walking off and whilst Elena just stood there Scarlett followed him, slightly surprised when Stefan stopped right next to her car. "Scarlett give me your keys!"

Digging into her purse Scarlett found her keys and handed them over to Stefan who unlocked the car and climbed in, Scarlett had to quickly jump into the passengers seat as Stefan just started speeding off, disregarding the speed limit. The entire journey Scarlett didn't know what to say because what was there to say? Damon had just killed his brother's best friend. And when Scarlett did attempt to say anything, nothing came out. Less than ten minutes later they arrived back at the house but the second Stefan got out of the car he disappeared. It didn't take long for Scarlett to find him once she had gotten in the house as there was a huge racket coming from Stefan's room and running up there Scarlett to see the two of them going at it with Stefan pinning Damon up against the wall.

"Come on, I did this for you. To get them off our trail." Damon said in an attempt to justify what he had done and it just made Scarlett feel sick to her stomach. Her heart was beating so fast in her chest because everything was spinning out of control and there was nothing she could do about it.

"You never do anything for anyone but yourself." Stefan replied and Scarlett could only watch in horror as Stefan pulled out a stake from his pocket and stabbed Damon is his lower chest.

"Y-You missed." Damon chocked out.

"No. You saved my life, I'm sparing yours we're even. And now we're done."

Scarlett watched as Stefan stormed out of his room leaving her alone with Damon who was in the process of pulling the stake out. Looking at him Scarlett just couldn't believe it, after everything that he had done Damon still insisted on hurting people. "Why?"

"Why what?" Damon questioned as he rose to his feet.

"Why do you keep insisting on ruining our lives?" Scarlett demanded as she walked over to Damon and repeatedly shoved him in his chest. "Lexi was his best friend! So give me this bullshit about how you only did this to cover Uncle Stefan's tracks because there wouldn't be any tracks to cover if it wasn't for you and everything you've done!"

Damon grabbed Scarlett's wrist on order to stop her from hitting him again. "Don't give me the whole high and mighty act Red! The vervain that the Sheriff used on Lexi came from the supply that you handed me today. You helped me in all of this so don't try put all the blame on me."

"Oh god! Oh god…" Scarlett cried out as she pulled her arms out of Damon's grasp and stumbled back a few steps. The vervain that she had given Damon earlier was used to help capture Lexi, she had helped kill Lexi. Scarlett's eyes stung with tears as the realization sunk in as to her involvement and then came the searing pain her chest. She struggled to breath in between the tears and her heart refusing to slow down and Scarlet tried holding on to the desk for support but arm wavered knocking several items to the ground before her knees finally gave out and she fell to the ground.

"Red… it's your heart, do whatever it is you do fix it." Damon said as he came to Scarlett's side but she couldn't do anything. She felt weak and like her heart was about to burst out of her chest. "STEFAN!"

Her head was spinning, she couldn't breath and most importantly her heart was breaking.


	26. Chapter 26

Scarlett sat in the back of her car whilst Damon sat up front with Stefan who was driving, she was being taken away in the early hours of the morning because it was deemed that it was no longer safe being in Mystic Falls after her last recent heart scare. Scarlett just brushed it off but it just wigged Stefan out completely and then today Damon almost killed Bonnie and now Scarlett was being shipped of to places unknown. Apparently Stefan and Damon were both leaving town too but Scarlett couldn't come with them as it wasn't safe for her as her health was the most important thing here and being around vampires just but it at risk or so Stefan said.

"You can't do this, you can't pack my bags and stuff me in the car and take me against my will from my home. I have school and a job not to mention the boarding house!" Scarlett angrily stated.

"It's for your own good Scarlett, you're at risk being with us and we can't leave you in the boarding house by yourself. The past ten days you've almost died three times because of us, it's better of this way you'll thank us for it later." Stefan replied and Scarlett just rolled her eyes, in her opinion he was over reacting. So he had dunk her head in ice cold water to help her regain consciousness and slow down her heart after it got a bit over excited again, it was no reason to ship her off.

"Death is unavoidable Uncle Stefan, with life comes death." Scarlett argued.

"Too many people have died recently and I'm letting you be added to that list so drop it Scarlett, you're not coming back to Mystic Falls. You're going to stay here whilst Damon and I deal with a few things and the house then we'll both leave." Stefan replied.

Scarlett kicked the back of Stefan's chair in frustration, this was one of the few moments that she hated him because he was being a complete bossy boots and trying to control her life. Scarlett knew what she had done with this whole Lexi thing but she didn't deserve to be exiled to wherever they were. "And where exactly am I being sent to?"

"Richmond. Your going to stay with an old acquaintance of the family, we've called and they know that were on our way." Stefan vaguely explained and Damon just scoffed at the explanation that was given to Scarlett, which caused alarm bells to go off in her head. Judging by Damon's reaction there was something that Scarlett wasn't being told.

"What do you mean old acquaintance of the family? We don't have friends of the sort as this family tend to stick to their own so who exactly are you talking about Uncle Stefan? And if you've called them then they must know about you but that's ridiculous because rule number one of the Salvatore's is that you don't tell anyone about the vampire relatives, so who are you taking me to!" Scarlett demanded.

"An old friend, like I said." Stefan replied.

Dead best friend or no dead best friend Scarlett was starting to lose her temper because there was something blatantly obvious that she was missing and for some reason Stefan didn't want her to know. "Stop with the bullshit already and tell me where I'm going! Are you sending me to some kind of home or orphanage?"

"Much worse than that Red." Damon said as he glanced at Scarlett through the rear view mirror and Scarlett just narrowed her eyes. What the hell could be so bad that even Damon classified it as being worse than an orphanage? "You should tell her Stefan, she has a right to know…"

"Okay now your actually scaring me so will someone please tell me where the bloody hell I'm going in Richmond and why are you both acting so weird about it. Seriously? Just tell me the good damn truth and don't try and sugar coat it." Scarlett demanded and the whole car fell silent and eventually Stefan eventually said where it was Scarlett was going but she was pretty sure that she heard wrong because it was impossible. "Y-You did not just say…"

"Your mother? Yeah he did Red." Damon said confirming Scarlett's worst fears.

"N-No…. because we don't even know where she is, that woman took off twelve years ago and no one had heard from her since so you can't be taking me to her because… because it's not happening." Scarlett stammered shaking her head repeatedly. No way in hell was she going to stay with the woman who walked out and turned her back on her family. Scarlett would rather be die that let that happened.

"We've both known where she was this entire time, I'm sorry Scarlett…" Stefan said.

"Sorry?" Scarlett demanded practically yelling, if there was one person she hated more than Damon then it was her mother Claire. She hated the woman despite the fact that Scarlett could barley remember her, she left when Scarlett was three and she had never heard form her again. "Are you not aware of what she did Uncle Stefan because I thought you were? She walked out on my dad and me when I was three years old and never looked back. Not once! And you want to send me to her? Have you lost your damn mind…"

Stefan pulled the car over outside a very nice looking two storey home and climbed out of the car before turning to Scarlett. "You need to be with someone who can take care of you."

"And you thought of her? I'd rather go to a home than with that bloody woman!" Scarlett screeched, she honestly wanted to throttle Stefan's neck as after everything that had gone through over the last six months he was doing this to her? They were family not to mention friends, Scarlett had honestly never felt so betrayed in her entire life.

"She's your mother." Stefan said as he gently pulled Scarlett out of the jeep.

"She's not my mother!" Scarlett said shaking her head and attempting to make a run for it but Damon grabbed on to her by her waist and wouldn't let go even when Scarlett started kicking and fussing. She didn't care if she was throwing a damn tantrum at her age. "N-No! Not here! Anywhere except for here! I don't want to be here!"

Scarlett was to busy yelling her head off that she didn't notice a woman coming out form the house and making her way down the path until she was right in front of them and even then she didn't stop kicking up a fuss. "Hello Scarlett."

Although her memories of the woman in front of her were vague at best Scarlett knew that the woman in front of her was indeed her mother and so she mustered as much venom as she could to greet the woman. "Hello mom."


	27. Chapter 27

"Stop it!" Scarlett snapped after a few moments after she could no longer take her mother or rather Claire as Scarlett was going to call her as women who abandoned their children didn't get to be called mom in her opinion, staring at her. It was unnerving and rather irritating which just Scarlett even more wound up and pissed off more than she already was. "Stop looking at me like that! Seriously? Why do you keep looking at me?"

"It's just that you've grown up so much–"

"Tends to happen over twelve years Claire and before you say anything I know I look scarily like Uncle Damon and to be frank I'm surprised that you can even recognize me as I was a toddler when you took off and disappeared. But I see you haven't done too badly with this quaint house of yours although personally I'm a big fan of my house. You remember the boarding house, right?" Scarlett questioned as Damon finally loosened his grip on her.

"I do." Claire replied.

"Well if you remember the house then you remember dad don't you? Gabriel Salvatore… 6ft 1, dark hair and light brown eyes, he liked wearing odd socks and the kindest and gentlest man I have ever know and he was your husband and the father of your child. Who killed himself nine years ago in April. Hung himself in the living room after he tucked me into bed and finished reading me a story like he did every night."

"I know who Gabriel was and what happened."

"Then where were you when he died! You didn't even bother coming to his funeral! Where were you in general? You left us like we we're nothing but we were your family! You were supposed to be my mother and you walked away like I was nothing from you!" Scarlett yelled.

"I had my reasons for leaving Scarlett… I thought of you everyday and after Gabriel died I thought about coming back for you but then I realized that you had a life in Mystic Falls and I didn't want to take you from that. I figured that Zach would be given custody and take care of you–"

Scarlett didn't know whether it was the fact that her mother had brought up Zach or just the fact that she didn't like her but Scarlett was ready to blow a gasket. "Well he did! Unlike you he didn't walk away, he stepped up and cared for me every single day after dad killed himself until he died!"

The colour is Claire's face drained rather quickly. "Excuse me…"

"Yeah… Did dumb and dumber forget to tell you that? Zach's dead and he's been for about two weeks all thanks to Uncle Damon over here who snapped his neck and just left his body like it was a piece of meat." Scarlett snapped before forcing herself to take a deep breath, last thing she needed was her heart problems to start kicking in.

"Hey I heard shouting… What's going on?" A middle aged man asked as he came out of the house and made his way over to the group and Scarlett just rolled her eyes.

"Whose this idiot?" She demanded.

"My husband Tom Warren." Claire began before turning to her attention over to Tom who had take Claire's hand in his own. "Tom, this is my daughter Scarlett."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Scarlett." Tom began and Scarlett just ignored him in favour of her mother.

"W-wait your husband? You left me and dad for this clown and now your playing happy families? Let me guess you have a couple of kids now?" Scarlett demanded as she narrowed her eyes at both her mother and her husband. Stefan and Damon were literally shipping her off into her worst nightmare.

"No. But we've been trying to adopt but no success so far." Claire said.

Scarlett laughed for the first time in days. "Yeah makes sense, social services wouldn't give a woman a child if she's got a history for abandoning her children. I guess it's not a quality they want in perspective parents."

"Hey! Do not speak to your mother like that!" Tom angrily stated.

"Tom it's fine, Scarlett has every right to be mad considering everything that I did to her, perhaps we should go inside and sit down, talk and maybe calm down." Claire said.

"I don't want them coming inside our home." Tom said.

Scarlett's face fell when she realized what her mother's dumb husband was referring to, he knew that Damon and Stefan were vampires. "You told him about them? Have you lost your freaking mind? You never tell anyone! That is the cardinal rule."

"You need to calm down Scarlett, this isn't good for you and your heart so just take a couple of deep breaths." Stefan warned.

"What?" There's something wrong with your heart Scarlett?" Claire demanded.

"That is none of anybodies business! My health only concerns me and after everything you've all done to me you don't get to care or pretend like you give a damn about me and my heart. Because if you cared then I'd still be at home, I'd be fine and it's no thanks to you!" Scarlett said.

"Maybe we should go…" Damon suggested and Stefan nodded in agreement and the two of them just turned to Scarlett.

"Don't look at me expecting anything, just tell me when you're bringing my cats." Scarlett began and everyone just looked at her with an odd look. "What now?"

"Tom's allergic to cats." Claire revealed.

"First I get taken from my home, the place I have lived every single day of my life and sent to stay here with my deadbeat mom and her stick up the ass husband and now your telling me that I can't even have my cats. Are you fucking kidding me? I can't have Lucrezia and Violetta are you serious? What am I supposed to do without them?" Scarlett questioned.

"You can get another like a dog?" Claire offered.

Scarlett was pretty sure she was going to have a stroke of some sorts. "A dog? Do I look like a dog person? Lucrezia and Violetta are not just my pets Claire, they are everything to me. The two of them are the only friends I've ever had because back in Mystic Falls I don't have friends and you would know that Claire if you weren't such a selfish bitch all these years ago! They are not just cats to me! They are the ones who are there to comfort me, know when my world is turning upside down and make me laugh when I'm about to cry."

"I'll take care of them…" Damon said as he put a hand on Scarlett's shoulder.

"Just go. I don't even want to say goodbye to the two of you…"

And she kept true to her word Scarlett didn't say goodbye to either of them, just kept her back to them as Stefan handed over Scarlett's bag and car keys after retrieving them from the car. Scarlett felt a kiss to the back of her head but she didn't respond just walked into the house, after a few minutes Claire and Tom came in and Scarlett was shown her new room. She chose to stay in there as to avoid her mother and stepfather because she had nothing to say to either of them.

"Scarlett, are you hungry? I can make you something to eat if you just tell me what you like." Claire called.

"I like cats." Scarlett retorted.

That answer got the reaction Scarlett expected and Claire didn't bother her although Tom tried later and all it took was one glare to send him running for the hills. As the say went on Scarlett kept her eyes peeled to make her escape, she wasn't stupid as she knew that they were expecting her to escape at the first chance so she'd give it some time before she took off. But until then Scarlett needed to call Damon, as much as he didn't want to speak to him she needed to check in on Lucrezia and Violetta.

"Hey Red.. Now's not a good time to talk." Damon wearily said.

Scarlett took that to mean he had done something that she wouldn't like and he was trying to avoid talking about it. "What did you do? Is it the house or my cats? Because if anything has happened to either of them then I will hunt you down and shove so much vervain down your throat that you blow up from the inside out!"

Damon actually laughed which just annoyed Scarlett. "Don't make me laugh, it's hurts to laugh Red."

"Why?"

"I've been shot." Damon announced.

"–Wait? What do you mean you've just been shot? You're a vampire bullets don't exactly effect you so why would it hurt?" Scarlett questioned.

"These bullets are made out of wood."

"Wood? You were shot with wooden bullets by who?" Scarlett demanded as this was all and very new to her not that Damon didn't deserve to be shot as he had done stuff that deserved begin shot over. But that wasn't really important right now.

"Logan Fell, turns out he isn't exactly dead like we first thought. Someone turned him into a vampire and before you ask Red it wasn't me. For once some else is causing the trouble in this town so you can forget the lecture and scolding that you were about to unleash on me and I'm fine if your wondering except for a very ruined and bloody outfit." Damon quipped before groaning.

"I-I don't understand… You were supposed to go back after deserting me here to shut up the house and now, your what? Staying to take care of Logan? How the hell did you find out he was a vampire."

"Correct Red and to find out who turned him. It looks like Stefan and I aren't the only vampires in town and we can't leave until we find out who. And to answer your question Sheriff Forbes paid us a visit once we came back and told me about some bodies that were found drained of blood, a long story shot I got Caroline to use the compass to find the vampire and it led me to a warehouse which Logan was hiding him. Then the little dick shot me several times because he thinks I turned him and I wouldn't give up how I can walk in the sun and now I'm very pissed off." Damon replied and Scarlett couldn't help but quietly giggle over that.

"Karma's a bitch Uncle Damon." Scarlett couldn't help but point out.

"Hmm… how are things going in suburbia?"

"Truthfully I'd rather switch places with you and be the one whose shot, I can't believe you sent me here to stay with her of all people!" Scarlett hissed.

"Not my idea, it was all Saint Stefan's personally I thought he was over reacting just a little bit…" Damon replied and Scarlett just murmured in agreement as she walked over to the window, grabbed her bag and keys and then climbed out to the little terrace part on her floor before chucking her bag onto the front yard. "Red you still here?"

"Yeah, but I've got to run… I'll speak to you later Uncle Damon." Scarlett replied before ending the call and tucking her phone into her pocket. She had enough of all this bullshit, she was getting out of her now and scaling down the side of the house was not going to be a problem for her in the slightest. She had scaled the boarding house so many times over the years to retrieve frisbees and balls that she stopped using the latter when she was twelve. And two minutes later Scarlett was sneaking across the front yard, retrieving her bag and making her way into her car. But she ran into trouble when her car wouldn't start, it was like it was dead so climbing out Scarlett went and checked under the hood to see what was wrong and lo and behold her spark plug was gone.

"Scarlett…"

Sighing to herself Scarlett looked over to see her mother standing thee frowning at her, not that Scarlett cared about what her mother thought about. "Where are my spark plugs?"

"Somewhere safe, why do you need them? If you need to go somewhere then I'll drive you?" Claire replied.

"Fat chance of you driving me home. Hence me sneaking out and trying to escape in my car. I'm going home Claire, I don't belong here nor do I intend on staying here." Scarlett said.

"Mystic Falls isn't your home anymore Scarlett."

"Your not listening to me, I am going home right this moment because I'm needed at home considering that one of the members of the founders council has been turned into a vampire and just tried to kill Uncle Damon. So I'm not asking you to take me home I'm telling you that I am going back to Mystic Falls!" Scarlett replied.

"And what do you think you can do Scarlett? You just a child…" Claire began.

"I'm a Salvatore."

"Why do you think I left all those years ago Scarlett? It wasn't that I didn't live you or Gabriel but I couldn't take any more this vampire thing, worrying if your uncles would come back and visit… "

"And you think the rest of us liked any of it? I No we didn't… But we got on with it because we're Salvatore's and it's what we do. Uncle Stefan and Uncle Damon are family and we protect the family secret and you know that! That's what it means to be a Salvatore…"

"You were born into it where as I married into it, I thought I could deal with it all but as the years went on I couldn't. Then you came along and I didn't want you to have anything to do with vampires but your dad disagreed with me. He would start reading extracts of families to you and I think that was the last straw fro me… You go back you'll die Scarlett."

"You don't know that."

"Yes I do, look what happened because of this secret, countless Salvatore's have died because of it, like your father. He killed himself because he couldn't handle this vampire thing anymore." Claire stated.

"I'm not dad and I am most certainly not you mom. But I am a Salvatore whose related to two vampires, one of which has killed relatives without blinking an eye however it doesn't change anything. Despite the good and the very bad Mystic Falls Stefan and Damon are my family, they hate each other and they sibling rivalry to the extreme however they care about me and I care about them. We're a family, a weird dysfunctional one. And their in trouble and I may not be able to do anything but I can't stay here knowing that their in trouble." Scarlett retorted in a rather calm manner for the first time in the entire day.

Claire looked at Scarlett for the longest time before walking over to Scarlett's car and going into her pocket and pulling out the missing spark plug and putting it back in. "If I don't let you go then you'd probably find another way to get back."

"Yep."

"I'll let you go but on one condition." Claire began and Scarlett just rolled her eyes as she waited for the inevitable not to mention annoying thing her mother want from her. "I can come see you and get to know you again and you'll give me a chance too, so I can make up for everything I missed and done, to be the mom that I should have been, the mom that you deserved…"

"Fine, if you must… But don't bring that your husband of yours, he's a bit of a twat quite frankly…"


	28. Chapter 28

Less than two hours later Scarlett was back in Mystic Falls, the drive from Richmond didn't take too long once her spark plugs had been put back into her car. When she returned home Scarlett didn't realize how much she missed her home even though she had been only gone from her for a few hours. When Scarlett arrived back she found that little of the house had been packed up and that Lucrezia and Violetta were still being allowed to roam around the house, which actually pleased Scarlett. If they had sent her pets off to the shelter like they did her then Scarlett would not have hesitated to kill them after everything that they had put her through.

"Meow…" Lucrezia said, showing Scarlett affection for the first time in days ever since Damon had brought Violetta into the family. She was glad to see that her cats had missed her and still wanted her here despite the fact that Stefan and Damon didn't want her around here.

"I know Lucrezia, we'll make the two of them pay for trying to send me away." Scarlett said as she picked both her cats up and led them to the upstairs master bathroom where she started to run a ran a bath before filling it with bleach. If they thought they were going to get away with sending her to her mother's then they were sorely mistaken. If there was one thing Scarlett knew other than protecting the family secret than it was revenge. Once the bath was half way run Scarlett dumped several of Damon's favourite shirts and a leather jacket into the tub before placing some of Stefan's most prized books into the bath. It would teach them to try and make her stay with her mother against her will. After she had placed said items into the bath, Scarlett made her way back downstairs to the living room to take a nap on the couch, the whole day had been very stressful which had made her very tired hence the need for a nap. Scarlett slept until the late evening when Stefan came home with Elena and he had woken her up by gently shaking her until she awoke.

"Scarlett what are you doing here? You're supposed to be with Claire." Stefan stated moments after Scarlett rose and wearily looked around her surroundings as to get her bearings. As she had spent most of the day at her mother's house it took Scarlett a little time to relax and realize where she was.

"Well she let me come back after I explained to her that there was another vampire in town and that you and Uncle Damon were in danger of being of discovered as vampires." Scarlett retorted.

"There was a reason we sent you away to your mother's Scarlett and it was for your own protection, you being with her makes your life much safer then it would be if you stayed with Damon and I so you have to go back. I know that you have problems with Claire but I need you to go back and stay with her." Stefan began in an exasperated tone of voice, it was clear that he was not happy about her being back in town

"This is my house." Scarlett began as she poked Stefan repeatedly several times in the chest to make sure that he got the point. He needed to know that she belonged here and she was not going her anytime in the near future. "And I will not be or banished or exiled from it no matter what you or Uncle Damon say. This is my house, I grew up here and have live here every single day of my life and I belong here no matter what anybody says and I will not leave here. I am a Salvatore and I belong here."

"Scarlett…" Stefan began.

"You don't get an opinion in this any longer Uncle Stefan, mom let me come back as she realized that this is where I belong and I'll tell you this now, I'm not going anywhere no matter what you and Uncle Damon say unless you want me to go to Sheriff Forbes and the rest of the founders council and tell them the truth about the Salvatore family. That we've had vampires in our family for the last hundred and forty five years and they are behind all the vampire attacks recently. So unless you want that to happen I would suggest you shut up and go along with my plan because form now on I am in charge Uncle Stefan!" Scarlett angrily retorted.

Stefan looked at Scarlett momentarily before turning his attention to Elena before turning back to Scarlett and dragging Scarlett towards the direction of the library to make sure she was out of ear length of Elena. "This isn't what you think it is about Scarlett!"

"Really? Well I think this entire thing is about you and Uncle Damon taking me away from my home and sending me to live me with my bloody mother who I haven't seen in years in rode for the two of you to take care of your ruddy vampire business!" Scarlett hissed in annoyance as she hated that Stefan was trying to tell her something else that was as far from the truth ads it could so possibly be.

"Scarlett please! You have to trust me on this! I'm doing this for your own good!" Stefan pleaded whist Elena just looked on as Uncle and Niece continued to argue about their difference in opinion over what was wrong and what was right for one Scarlett Salvatore.

'You know what Uncle Stefan? I don't trust you as far as I can thrown you so in terms of what is best for me I will do what I think is best as if you dare to interrupt that then I will tell Sheriff Forbes the real truth about the Salvatore family and the deep dark secret we've been keeping since 1864."

"I know you Scarlett and I know that you don't want to do any of this!" Elena said in an attempt to play mediator between the warring Uncle and Niece but it didn't seem like it was working as Scarlett was still as pissed as ever.

"Elena this doesn't concern you, this is between me and dear old Uncle Stefan… What's going on with this whole Logan Fell situation? And don't mess me around with any of this I want the truth now Uncle Stefan!" Scarlett demanded, she was tired of playing by her uncles rules and as of now they were going to have to play by her rules if they wanted to survive in this town.

"Logan tried to kidnap Caroline but Damon and I stopped him in time, I took her home and she's fine so there's no need for you to worry." Stefan advised her but after the little stunt that he pulled with her mother Scarlett felt that she could no longer trust her uncle anymore.

"Whatever!" Scarlett hissed, she go along with this for so long but she knew that she wasn't being told the exact truth and the next time her uncles stepped out of line then she would do something to end them permanently. Family or no family.


	29. Chapter 29

_First things first i just want so say a big thank you to everyone whose read/reviewed or put an alert out of made this story their favourite, my blackberry and i appreciate it very much. All the feedback is amazing and it's hard to believe that Scarlett adn this story just came to me one day whilst i was writing for one of my other accounts. It's almost four months since i published the first chapter and i never imagined the story would be where it is now. last few weeks i've been posting literally everyday and the chapters are basically the product of a few hours work on the actual day, i don't sit and plan this out before i write it sort of just comes as i go along such as Scarlett's heart condition. Anyway i've just rambled but as of now at 4:28am here in good ole' london this story stands at having 99 reviews! And that to me is like wow... i've never had so many for one story and it literally is the reason why i keep going on knowing that people are invested in this story as much as i am. So to say thanks i'll keep writing and fill you in on some things to keep an eye out. For all you who like the oddly dysfunctional on and off relationship Scarlett has with Damon then keep your eyes out for a thanksgiving and christmas related chapter because Scarlett + Damon + the holidays = pure mayhem and comical moments. i already have a scene pictured in my mind about the turkey as i think the three Salvatore's during the holidays would be hilariously dysfunctional._

_Now Scarlett will have a love interest eventually but they are not making an appearance anytime soon - well maybe September or late august considering how much i'm writing at the moment. But like i said the guy is not making an appearance anytime soon and in my head i've got a few scenes with the two of them which i'm going to have to write down so i don't forget. I won't say who it is but no doubt you will figure it out but i will say this Scarlett is not afraid of them in the slightest which is part of the attraction to the other party not to mention her charming and oh so witty personality. To put it quite frankly Scarlett and this guy keep each other on their toes. So it should be make some interesting reading.  
_

_Lastly Scarlett's mother will make the occasional appearance but really all she's going to be doing is maintaining the house because someone does have to pay the bills, right? And to answer a question i got maybe a week or two weeks ago i still haven't decided whether Scarlett will ever become a vampire, the idea of her being on Damon and Stefan's cases for eternity is rather appealing but i created her because i liked the idea of there being one last living Salvatore, so i'm kind of cup half empty on that one. But enjoy xx  
_

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"Please stop that! I'm finding it hard to concentrate whilst you're burning a hole into an antique carpet because of all your pacing." Scarlett said as she and Stefan were both currently in the library, Stefan as aforementioned was pacing whilst Scarlett was playing the piano. Unsurprisingly they were in the middle of yet another crisis, turns out not long after Scarlett had come home yesterday Stefan and Elena went upstairs and did the dirty deed. Although Scarlett was trying her hardest not to dwell on the fact that her cradle snatching vampire Uncle and her kind of friend had sex whilst she was in the house. A long story short Elena then found out that she was a dead ringer for Katherine and she fled from the house and now she was in Atlanta with Damon. It was all very odd. "You know this was all bound to happen eventually…"

"Excuse me?" Stefan questioned.

"This whole Elena is the doppelgänger of your vampire ex? Were you that naïve and stupid to think that it wouldn't eventually come out especially in this town? Because even I knew that this wasn't going to end well so I can hardly blame Elena for not wanting to speak to you. If it were me, I'd never give you the time of day again." Scarlett stated with a small frown.

"Thanks a lot Scarlett, I wasn't feeling bad enough already!" Stefan said in a rather irritated manner before sighing and taking a deep breath.

"Good. You know I would have been very sympathetic to your cause Uncle Stefan if you hadn't have shipped me off to my mother's so now I really couldn't care about your melodramatic and rather annoying problems. And you should feel bad because none of this would have happened if you had just left Elena Gilbert alone in the first place like I told you to months ago! So this me with my big fat I told you so!" Scarlett snapped causing her to press down on the piano keys slightly harder that she intended to, messing up the melody she was playing much to her irritation. "God damn it!"

"Scarlett…"

"Shut up! I am trying to focus here… You know I like playing the piano, it's comforting and relaxing not to mention it's capable of creating beautiful music but it's kind of hard to do that when my relatives are intent on sending me to an early grave and please no jokes or vampire puns." Scarlett hissed before taking a deep breath and continuing from where she left off.

"What are you playing?"

"Moon Revenge, it's a song from a movie of one of my favourite television programmes when I was growing up." Scarlett began and she briefly looked up at Stefan. "Go ahead."

"Go ahead and what?" Stefan questioned.

"Purge. You've got that weird brooding look on your face and it's starting to annoy me so just go ahead and tell me whatever the hell it is that is bothering you. It's obvious you want to talk about it so come on out with it already. I don't have the rest of the night." Scarlett wearily replied with a small shake of her head. She was such a good person and her Uncles really didn't deserve her as they took her for granted way too much. The idea of charging them for rent and emotional damages crossed Scarlett's mind. Before she recalled that they didn't have any money.

"I thought you were mad with me." Stefan pointed out.

"Your damn right I'm pissed off with you but it's not like you have any other friends beating down the door to talk to you so like I said hurry up and purge already." Scarlett retorted.

Stefan sighed and took a deep breath before going to sit down in one of the armchairs in the library. "Where to begin Scarlett? There's the first problem that the woman I love is somehow related to my ex who turned me into a vampire. Then it turns out Damon came back to turn because Katherine isn't dead, she and all the other vampires who were supposedly killed in Fells Church are actually alive but trapped in a tomb underneath."

If Scarlett wasn't so used to this daily drama in her life then she might actually be surprised at this news but she didn't even blink an eyelid and just continued to play the piano. "So this is all about Katherine? Funny how after a hundred and forty five years she's still got a hold on you and Uncle Damon. You know what they call that in this day and age? Whipped. And boy does she have the two of you good even if she's trapped in a tomb." Scarlett snorted in bemusement.

"Hmm…" Stefan murmured quietly.

"So the wicked bitch is alive and not crushed under the house like everyone thought, how exactly is your brother trying to release the infamous Katherine Pierce… forget I asked, it's better for my heart if I don't know. Move on…" Scarlett replied.

"I've been l looking into why Elena looks just like Katherine, I thought it was random thing or that Elena was her descendent but that would mean that Katherine was a Gilbert and that I know isn't a possibility. And then I figured it out Elena is adopted. Her father doctored her birth certificate and that's as much as I know…"

Scarlett frowned before finally stopped playing the piano and shut the cover and stood up. "I'm going to bed."

"That's it? That's all your going to say…" Stefan questioned.

"This town is like Stepford. Never trust what you see at face value, there's always something going on behind closed doors. So a doctor forging a birth certificate and hiding an adoption isn't something that's going to surprise given that I know this town is filled with witches and vampires. So like I've said before, I'm going to bed so goodnight Uncle Stefan." Scarlett said excusing herself and heading upstairs, after shuffling around her room for a while Scarlett went to the bathroom in order to brush her teeth and moments after she did, Damon walked into the room.

"Heard Red Riding Hood was back." Damon quipped.

"And badder than ever." Scarlett retorted as cocked her head to the side to motion for Damon to check out the bathtub for the surprise that was awaiting for him.

"What happened to my shirts and my jackets?" Damon demanded as he picked up one of his ruined shirts and looked at it in disbelief before dropping it back in the bath.

"Whoops! Sorry I had a bit of an accident, with some bleach…" Scarlett said feigning ignorance and innocent to her actions.

"You did this? Have you lost your freaking mind Red? There are John Varvatos and your just going to say whoops…"

"Yep pretty much, that and I got rid of all your scotch, well technically it's my scotch but don't worry some of Uncle Stefan's books are floating at the bottom of the bathtub. So you can save the whole I'm a big bad vampire and I'm going to kill you speech because we both know you won't. Because firstly you promised you wouldn't, secondly you owe because of what you did to Zach and where you tried to send me to…" Scarlett calmly stated with a small shrug of her shoulders.

"W-Why you little brat." Damon snarled.

"I'm not the Red Riding Hood whose gets eaten by the wolf, I'm the one who cuts up the wolf and stuff rocks into his belly. So don't you ever try to throw me to the wolves again…" Scarlett said as she made her way out of the room and stopping to tap Damon gently on the shoulder before sniffing. "You smell like gas, makes me tempted to strike a match and see if you'll go boom!"

"Bitch."

"Bastard." Scarlett retorted with a roll of her eyes. "So I heard your trying to get Katherine released, talk about taking the old Mother Hubbard lives in a cupboard a bit too far, don't ya think?"

"Funny."

"I thought so… And a word of advice if you're going to rescue your vampire girlfriend from the tomb that she's been locked in for a hundred and forty five years? Then whilst you're at it you should make us an appointment with Dr. Phil, this whole family needs a bloody shrink or better yet Jerry Springer, but I do love my self some Dr. Phil…"


	30. Chapter 30

"Um… excuse me, do you have a pen I can borrow?"

Looking up from the bar where she was sitting and idly during her break Scarlett looked up to see Matt Donovan the big football player standing right next to her. The two of them had been in the same class since Kindergarten and until now they had never engaged in an actual conversation as they were on two different ends of the social spectrum. Digging into her work apron Scarlett pulled out a pen and handed it over. "I'm a waitress, of course I have a pen…"

"Your Scarlett, right? Scarlett Salvatore." Matt slowly said.

"Only on weekdays from 9 to 5 and then I switch between my alternate personalities of Lizzie Borden and Bloody Mary…" Scarlett began and when Matt clearly didn't get it Scarlett just rolled her eyes. "Yes I am Scarlett Salvatore and you are Matthew Donovan, we've been in each other's class for the last eleven years but it's only now that you seem to recall my name."

"So you work here…" Matt asked changing the conversation.

"Yeah…" Scarlet relied with a small shrug of her shoulders, as she looked over to see Matt holding on to a job application. You'd think with Scarlett's lack of people skills and her flippant and sarcastic attitude to life that she'd be the world's worst waitress as the job involved smiling and being polite to people but somehow her and waitressing seemed to fit well together. "So why are you applying for a job? Last place you'd expect the big time football player to be working is here…"

"Last place I'd expect you to work." Matt replied.

"I've been working here over a year now Donovan, although no one actually knows that but I get what you mean, everyone here thinks that I just spend all my time in my big scary house." Scarlett began before taking a deep breath. "So you never said why you need a job."

"I'd rather not talk about it."

"Worried about your precious reputation? I wouldn't be It's not like I'm going to repeat it to anyone and in the unlikely event that it would ever happen no one would ever believe me." Scarlett said with another shrug of her shoulders.

"Money's tight if you must know. My mom isn't around, I haven't seen my dad in years and with Vicki gone it's just me and the bills need to be paid." Matt replied in a rather irritated manner and Scarlett bit her lip, with everything going on recently she had forgotten about the whole Vicki thing. Made her feel bad for Matt as Vicki was dead and Matt didn't even know that he'd never see his sister again.

"The pay here is alright and for some reason we're always short handed and so that means we're always picking up extra shifts. Tips are decent and so if you want me to put a good word with Richard, the owner than I will. I'm kind of loved here, I work a million shifts and I don't ever complain…" Scarlett said feeling uncharacteristically kind towards one of the popular kids.

Matt looked at Scarlett sceptically. "Why would you do that? You just said that we've never spoken to each other, ever."

"Well it's not because I'm nice person or that I owe you any kind of favour but I get the whole supporting yourself thing. I'm an only child with the dead dad, deadbeat mom and my uncle has left town for the foreseeable future and I'm stuck with my two idiot cousins who are wastes of space. I've been doing what your doing for a while now, but working to support myself for over a year now and it's tough. So if you want I can have you put on the same shift schedule as me, it's a lot of hours but the pay is decent at the end of the month, plus you get free meals is your working during lunch or dinner times and the people aren't exactly horrendous."

"Um… Thanks I think." Matt replied with a small smile.

"Don't thank me, I feel the Christmas spirit is descending upon me." Scarlett quipped.

"Christmas isn't even for a another month, you do realize this Scarlett? It's still a couple of days until Thanksgiving."

"Exactly, puts me right on schedule to be a complete grinch and scrooge for Christmas." Scarlett laughed as she stood up from her seat, she needed to get back to work as her break was no doubt over and she had to start preparing for the dinner rush. An hour or so later whilst Scarlett was working in walked Elena and Bonnie much to Scarlett's bemusement.

"Hey Scarlett!"

"Elena."

"How are you? With everything that's going on I haven't been able to see how you've been and then Stefan told me that you had left town and then you came back that night. So how are you doing? You and your heart doing okay?" Elena questioned.

"We're fine. Surprisingly calm but how are you and the teenage witch doing? I've heard the two of you have had a real interesting time of it late."

"Elena you told her!" Bonnie hissed.

Scarlett just rolled her eyes. "Relax Sabrina, I've known for months about it, well when I found out you were related to Emily It wasn't too hard to figure out given that Emily was a witch and you're her descendent. It's really simple genetics if you think about it. It's not big deal so you're a witch I'm related to vampires.

"One of which tried to kill me." Bonnie angrily stated.

"Not my problem."

"So you know about everything…" Elena carefully said. "About Katherine?"

Scarlett was staying out of this entire Katherine thing, it was better for her health if she did not get involved with it in the slightest. "As long as it doesn't interfere with my life then I really don't care and I've already made it clear to Damon that his lady friend isn't to step one foot in my house. But given what I've been told about her, then we should be worried. It was also the kind of reason why I was such a bitch to you when Stefan came to town, well mostly it was because your from one of the founding families and I didn't like you but then because of this whole Katherine thing. It's all very messy and complicated…"

"Can't you talk to Damon about this?"

"I'd rather not, I've really pissed him off lately and whilst that is a very fun and enjoyable thing for me to do I I'm not getting involved in this Katherine thing. I'm trying out this whole normal teenager thing." Scarlett said with a small smile thinking back to her earlier exploits.

"How's that working out for you?" Bonnie demanded.

"Rather okay actually." Scarlett quipped.

"So are you going to the decade dance?" Elena questioned.

Scarlett snorted in amusement and rolled her eyes. "Elena that is a good one but this is me were talking about, I don't do social situations unless under the pain of death and even then I'd chose death than go to a stupid high school dance. I thought you knew me better than that… So let me show you to your table!"


	31. Chapter 31

So much for Scarlett not going to the 50's decade dance because on the day of the dance Scarlett she was at home relaxing and watching a film when she received a call from Damon asking or rather telling her that she was needed at the school gym where the decade dance was taking place. She wasn't offered any explanation other than she was going to the dance and everything would be explained when she got there. And knowing that her family would just bother her even more if she didn't turn up Scarlett reluctantly but unhappily complied with Damon's request.

"Where the hell have you been Red?" I called you half an hour ago!" Damon demanded grabbing Scarlett as soon as she walked through the gyms door.

"Sorry. I was shaving my legs and it's not exactly something you can leave the job half done. It's a woman thing, you really wouldn't understand." Scarlett replied in a rather calm and nonchalant manner much to the irritation of Damon. She was here no doubt to babysit Damon considering that the guy had a tendency to get himself into trouble whenever there was some kind of dancing event. "So why exactly have I been brought here…"

"A vampire attacked Elena at her house, he was disguised as the pizza man until Stefan managed to scare him off." Damon commented as he scanned the crowds.

Scarlett raised one eyebrow in surprise. "Is that so? That's pretty neat if I do say so myself…"

"Pretty neat? You better not let Saint Stefan hear you saying things like that Red."

"What? I'm just saying what you no doubt thought and okay so maybe I should be a bit worried about Elena but c'mon the vampire disguised himself in order to get to her. Bad news is that someone is targeting Elena, however you have to admire the guy's ingenuity. Dressing up and playing the pizza guy takes a lot of time and effort plus it a pretty smart idea although very scary at the same time." Scarlett said with a small shrug of her shoulders, maybe it was a little wrong that she cared about the whole vampire disguise then Elena's disguise but Scarlett just couldn't help herself. It was fascinating. And her kind of freaky weirdness.

"You stranger little girl." Damon replied with a shake of his head.

"To which I ask again, why I am here?"

Damon sighed. "We think the vampire will try again for Elena so we're going to try and draw this vampire out hence why we're all here. But we need those sharp eagle eyes of yours to look out for anyone suspicious, who looks like they don't belong here, someone–"

"Like me, right?" Scarlett replied in a mixed tone of voice.

"Pretty much, so I see your wearing red but where's your cloak? You can't be Red Riding without your signature hood." Damon quipped gently nudging Scarlett gently in the ribs.

"Sorry to disappoint you but the infamous red hooded cloak is at the dry cleaners and I spilt something on it and you know temperamental velvet and satin can be, so I had to wear my second best red vampire hunting outfit and I wouldn't ask about me big bad axe…" Scarlett retorted as she smoother down her authentic red chiffon red pleated halter dress, normally Scarlett wasn't one for wearing dresses save for Thanksgiving but this dress was really nice and was from the fifties.

"You look like your Grandmother Helene in that dress." Damon scoffed and eyed Scarlett in a funny manner.

"That's because this dress belonged to Nonna Helene, she was a very exceptional women with very impeccable taste plus from what I've been told she didn't like you very much. In fact my Nonna hated you." Scarlett laughed as her and Damon walked around the gym keeping an eye out on anyone suspicious.

"Your grandmother was a stubborn Italian woman and I see the apple hasn't fallen far from the tree and it is in fact more rotten at the core than the tree itself." Damon retorted in a joking manner and Scarlett looked around before smacking Damon across the back of his head in a rather hard manner. "Oww…"

"Hey you can insult me all you like but you don't talk about my Nonna like that! Now let's hurry up and get this over with because I have things to be doing, well technically that's a lie but to be quite frank I'd just rather not be here." Scarlett hissed as she plastered a fake smile across her face.

"You are a constant ray of sunshine." Damon stated as he and Scarlett stopped walking and stood and watched as all the other kids including Elena and Stefan danced to all the best of the best cheesy music that the resident DJ had to offer from the fifties.

"Thank you."

"I was being sarcastic."

"I know, I just chose to ignore you." Scarlett quipped in amusement.

"…I don't recognize you, how'd you get roped into chaperoning?" A voice began from the other side of Damon and Scarlett, they both simultaneously titled their heads to the side to see Mr. Saltzman, the new history teacher who had replaced the deceased Mr. Tanner. Who held out his hand for introductions. "Alaric Saltzman, I'm the new history teacher."

"Ah, the, uh cursed faculty position." Damon said looking at Scarlett with raised eyebrows making an inside joke about how he killed Mr. Tanner and the vulgarity of it all just caused Scarlett to roll her eyes.

"So I've been told." Mr. Saltzman jokes.

"Damon Salvatore." Damon said finally being polite enough to introduce himself after Scarlett nudged him in the ribs as hard as she could.

"Salvatore, as in Scarlett and Stefan?" Mr. Saltzman questions putting together the connection between the surnames of all three Salvatore's not to mention he was clearly noticing the glaring physical between Scarlett and Stefan. "Brothers and sisters?"

Scarlett snorted in disbelief. "No way in hell, I'm a proud only child. This idiot here is my cousin and Stefan's older brother. That's all nothing more."

"I'm Stefan's legal guardian and I've recently become Scarlett's, hence the chaperoning." Damon replies in a bored manner before pausing to pull a funny face at Scarlett who snickered quietly.

"Well I have to say that Scarlett has a very detailed and analytical mind when it comes to history when she's not zoning in and out in class because she already knows what I'm currently teaching. Then there's the sarcasm, which I find to be so refreshing when I ask Scarlett something in class. She's a good student although she doesn't like to participate much…" Mr. Saltzman said.

"Can't really blame her now, Red over here has known this towns entire history dating back to before the civil war since she was eight and it's just as boring as it was then. And I can't blame her for not wanting to take part as your predecessor was bit of a ass to my cousin, he liked to bully and put her down in front of the class." Damon commented looking over and giving Scarlett a small reassuring smile.

"I hear Stefan's very bright, not that I've had a chance to see for myself." Mr. Saltzman stated and Scarlett just rolled her eyes. Kiss ass, she thought to herself.

"I know that Stefan's attendance record's a little spotty." Damon begins before adding. "Family drama, we've been dealing with some stuff as of late which is taking some time to adjust to…"

"Parents?"

Damon shakes his head whilst Scarlett just frowned, nosy parker much? She thought to herself. "Mine and Stefan's parents died a few years ago as did Scarlett's father. Then our Uncle Zach left town recently and Scarlett's mother walked out fourteen years ago. So it's just the three of us now and that's the way we like it."

"You, uh–You live here your whole life?" Mr. Saltzman questioned.

"Scarlett has. Stefan and I on and off, we travel a bit." Damon wearily replied narrowing his eyes at Mr. Saltzman who eventually gets the message and leaves Scarlett and Damon alone to talk about the man's odd behaviour.

"I don't like him." Scarlett stated as she watched Mr. Saltzman make his way into the crowds, she really didn't like him as for some dumb reason he chose to move here of all places. Most people wanted to get out of this town and not move her plus Mr. Saltzman was asking all these personal questions and trying to find out the Salvatore family store which was none of his damn business and lastly he wasn't acting like a bored high school teacher should. Scarlett didn't like any of this at all.

"You don't like anyone." Damon told Scarlett who couldn't help but smirk, the two of them looked alike and it was becoming more apparent how alike they were in terms of their personality. Months ago this would have bothered Scarlett but now? Not so much.

"True, neither do you." Scarlett said with a sigh as she continued to scan the crowds, if something semi interesting didn't happen soon Scarlett was going to die of boredom and if she wanted to do that than she would go and talk to someone irrelevant like Mrs. Lockwood for hours again.

"Wanna be best friends?" Damon quipped.

Scarlett narrowed her eyes at her Uncle, it was way too early for him to be pulling the best friend jokes out. "I think not. It's hard enough being your niece without the extra role and unless I get paid and have benefits like dental and health insurance then I'll stick to my current role plan in your life…"


	32. Chapter 32

Scarlett sat crossed legged on the kitchen counter in the boarding house drinking a mug of hot chocolate as she watched Lucrezia and Violetta eat their dinner. For once in the Salvatore house there was a serene calmness although how long this would last was yet to be seen it. This could be the calm before the storm and knowing her family Scarlett knew that when this peace was 'broken' whatever it was that was going to do it was without a doubt going to be big. Considering the Salvatore's didn't do things in small capacities.

"Red there you are, how are you doing today?" Damon asked as he strolled into the kitchen with a cocky smile on his face."

"Peachy." Scarlett retorted with a fake smile on her face as she took a sip of her hot chocolate before narrowing her eyes at Damon. He was acting even more odd than usual and it was awfully suspicious and considering this was Damon, it couldn't be anything good. Scarlett was pretty sure that he wanted something from her but as to what it was anyone could guess. "Your being unusually nice to me and I haven't done anything to merit your kindness or concern about my well being so what do you want from me?"

"Such scepticism in such a young person and can't I be concerned about the well being of my only niece?" Damon drily stated.

"This is me you're talking to Damon, you can't kid a kidder!" Scarlett quipped with a small laugh, taking another sip of her hot chocolate.

"Jokes aside Red, in all seriousness how are you doing with this whole Zach thing and everything else that has been going on?" Damon questioned and Scarlett stopped and looked at Damon to see that he was being deadly seriousness. Which itself was rare for Damon as the only thing he ever cared or shown serious concern about was Katherine and his liquor supply when it was running low.

"Why are you asking me this?"

"It's Thanksgiving tomorrow. I just figured the holidays would be a difficult time for you and I figured I'd see how you are and if I could do anything, you know as part of my duties as a very devoted Uncle." Damon stated.

Scarlett narrowed her eyes at Damon, this was all very weird and yet she somehow believed that he was being genuine about it. "You don't have to worry about me, I've been through it several times already. It's nothing new to me, I get through my birthdays and the holidays along with the rest of the year. Thanks for your concern but there's no need to worry."

"No problems with your heart?" Damon questioned.

"Stupid question to ask when I have an arrhythmia which causes my heart to beat irregularly faster than it should but my heart is fine. I'm staying calm and trying to remain as zen as I can, even started yoga and swimming. Most importantly I'm keeping my stress levels down as that's what usually sets my palpitations off. But I'm healthy as I can be." Scarlett replied.

"In that case you can get started on this." Damon said before walking out of the kitchen and moments later coming back with a big ole' frozen turkey and placing it in Scarlett's lap. "If you're so healthy and happy then there's no problem with you cooking dinner for us tomorrow!"

Scarlett mover the turkey which weighed at least ten pounds off her lap, it was a ridiculously sized turkey for three people. "Me? Why the hell am I cooking us Thanksgiving dinner?"

"Because you're a girl." Damon said with a small shrug with his shoulders and a cocky grin on his face much to Scarlett's fury. She could not believe he was pulling she had to cook because she was a woman and she belonged in the kitchen bullshit. Although if anyone was going to say that to Scarlett then it would be Damon

"So I have to cook us thanksigivng dinner all because I have breasts and ovaries? You know that may have worked back in 1864 but this is 2009 that shit doesn't fly anymore. Feminism happened and women don't just stay in the kitchen and cook, hell Hilary Clinton is damn secretary of state and I don't think Bill tells her that she has to make Thanksgiving dinner. So it's not going to work on me either and anyway I don't know how to cook Thanksgiving dinner, the last couple of years Zach and I had a tradition of eating re nuked take out…" Scarlett retorted.

"This turkey is going to be cooked tomorrow and not by me, I also expect everything else there as well especially stuffing…" Damon told Scarlett pointing at the turkey before walking out of the room.

"Asshole…" Scarlett muttered.

"Yeah, he can be at times." Stefan said from the backdoor of the kitchen before making his way over to the kitchen counter that Scarlett was sitting on. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation and how Damon wants you to cook Thanksgiving dinner when you've never cooked it before…"

"Uncle Stefan don't be an idiot I'm Italian, of course I can cook Thanksgiving dinner! I can cook practically anything and I've been helping to make It since I was six and I've made it the last two years. I've been working on this dinner for days now, I am going full out on this dinner. I just said all that stuff to Damon because not only was he being incredibly sexist but it's just so much fun to wind Damon up, it's our thing…" Scarlett said with a small and enjoyable chuckle.

"Yeah, I've noticed. The two of you have gotten rather close recently." Stefan said.

"As much as I hate to admit this but Uncle Damon and I are very alike, we're both cut from the same cloth with the resemblance between us and our personalities. We're both rude, brash, sarcastic and say whatever is on our mind no matter what. Plus we're both miserable and we do it so well… Can't help but bond with people like yourself…" Scarlett said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"B-but with everything that happened, you've gotten much closer as if you were friends and I'm just worried. I saw what Zach's death did to you and I'm worried about you letting Damon in and he does something that sends you over the edge again which I won't be able to save you from Scarlett." Stefan said with a deep breath as he leant against the counter.

"I know what Uncle Damon did and has done and I will never forget it, nor forgive it. I miss Zach every day and probably will for the rest of my life. The grief is still here but it's not suffocating me anymore, I'm not drowning in it anymore. I'm getting on with my life one day at a time and as much as I hate Uncle Damon for what he did but he is apart of my life and family. Then I think to myself what would Jesus do? And we all know that I'm no fan or organized religion but even Jesus would forgive his murdering vampire relatives…"


	33. Chapter 33

Laying down on the floor of her bedroom floor Scarlett took a deep breath as her stomach was in the middle of processing the massive amount of Thanksgiving dinner that she had to eat. When Scarlett said she was going to go out for this dinner she really went out from the caramelized parsnips to the home made pumpkin pin and cranberry sauce. Now she felt incredibly bloated and after all the dinner and booze she consumed Scarlett couldn't even make it to her bed, just her floor. Her stomach hurt that much that it was easier for Scarlett to lay on her bedroom floor than walk the extra yard to her bedroom. "Red… What are you doing here lying on the floor."

Scarlett didn't even bother opening her eyes as she could already distinguish the difference between Damon's footsteps and Stefan. "Trying to not to bring up everything I've eaten today, between the cooking, eating and the three of us playing football I feel as stuffed as the turkey I spent hours cooking."

"Hmm… that was a good turkey Red, for once you exceeded my exceptions for once, I can't wait to see what you do for Christmas I'll let you know now that it has to top today. But I knew you could cook a good dinner so you might make some lucky man a good wife in about ten years or so but you will be keeping the Salvatore name, right? If you do find yourself someone to actually marry…" Damon questioned but it sounded more like a statement more than anything as if Damon was checking that Scarlett would be keeping her maiden name under the event of her ever getting married.

"_Naturellement_. I have no intention on changing my name once I marry and if by some horror that I someday have children then I make sure that they will have the Salvatore name so as to carry on our family's name for many a generations." Scarlett murmured in agreement as she rubbed her stomach in a rather affectionate manner. Odd conversation her and Damon were having but the again the two of them weren't exactly normal, their whole family had never been normal.

"Good to hear Red. Although the idea of you having several mini Red's is quite funny but I look forward to the day when I am addressed as Uncle Damon by Damon Salvatore Jr." Damon quipped.

Scarlett snorted in disagreement, Damon had lost his damn mind if he thought that she would name one of her future children after him and as she laughed Scarlett's stomach contracted in pain and she had grab her stomach and rolled onto her side. Laughing was not a good idea at the moment considering how much her stomach was currently hurting. "Your arrogance is unbecoming of you. But nevertheless I appreciate your support and the fact that you are looking forward to the day that I have children. Even though it won't be for a while yet, I need you to promise me that you won't harm them Uncle Damon, you won't harm my future children or their children. You need someone to carry on the family name so you can keep coming to visit the house…"

"Alright Red! I promise that I won't harm your little rugrats." Damon scoffed being half seriousness as he laid down on the floor next to Scarlett, their shoulders touching against each other.

"So you're planning on getting Katherine out of the tomb?" Scarlett asked as she turned her head towards Damon. Scarlett didn't know why she was asking this but it was the holidays, the most common time of year that depression went up because families spent too much time together which led to arguments although in the Salvatore's case spending less time together led to people being killed.

"That is the plan just need to figure out of the finer details Red." Damon said in a cheery tone.

"What are you going to do when you get her out of there? Do you have anything planned?" Scarlett questioned as it wasn't a question on if Damon was getting Katherine out it was more a question of when seeing as he had waited more than a hundred and forty five years in order to release Katherine from the tomb that she was locked in.

"I don't know yet, once she's built up her strength maybe I'll take Katherine to Europe and show her all the sights and cities, she always struck me as the kind of girl to spend her time exploring the streets of Europe and laying on the beach." Damon said after a brief moment.

"You'll still come and visit me, right? I know I said that I don't want Katherine to be in Mystic Falls but you'll still check in occasionally right Uncle Damon, even after you get Katherine and leave town?" Scarlett questioned and her voice crackled slightly as she pondered the idea of Damon not being here anymore, although Damon was a very big pain in the ass she was thankful for having him in her life as didn't treat her like a child but rather an adult and he helped her to lighten up and enjoy herself some more.

"Sounds like you'd miss me when I eventually leave town Red. I'm glad to know that, you may not be the uncaring ice queen that you make out to be to everyone." Damon jested and Scarlett just smacked Damon squarely on the chest but even that couldn't help the small smirk that was on Scarlett's face. Damon may be an ass but he was a funny one.

"Your head's going to blow up if you keep thinking about yourself like that but… I may miss you occasionally considering that your not so bad. But you never answered my questioned about coming to visit… You and Uncle Stefan are my only family now and I don't want to be alone or never see you both again when I leave for college." Scarlett wearily said, she hated being this sentimental with Damon because not only was weird and not their thing but it also let him know that she cared and that was the last thing that Scarlett wanted him to know.

"Don't worry you can't get rid of me that easily Red, we may have only met each other for the first time a couple of months ago but I like you and as you mentioned you are the only living Salvatore left so of course I'll check in and come visit on occasion and I promise I won't bring Katherine. You've already made it clear that you don't want her here but just because I'll leave with her doesn't mean I'll forget about my favourite niece. You're the only person I know who hates this town more than I do."

Scarlett laughed. "I like you too Uncle Damon, your kind of like fungus because whilst your very annoying you do tend to grow on people."

"Cheeky sod." Damon murmured. "So what are you thankful for this Thanksgiving Red and don't give me give me that bullshit about having a roof over your head and all that nonsense that you said over dinner?"

"You want the truth? I'm thankful that for the first time in my life I have someone that truly understands me for the way I am and that even though my family is made up of me, two cats and two vampire uncles and is by far the most weirdest family ever we somehow manage to be happy and do things in our own way and not conform to what the rest of the town see as normal. That what I like about being a Salvatore, we do things our own way…"


	34. Chapter 34

"…I mean this sincerely I hope Elena dies." Damon coldly stated to Stefan before proceeding to walk out of the library. Stefan let a long sigh before knocking a book off one of the tables and rolling her eyes at her uncle's little outburst of anger, Scarlett moved from leaning against the doorframe of the library in order up pick up the book Stefan dropped and return it to it's rightful place.

"This wouldn't have happened if you hadn't gone behind Uncle Damon's back…" Scarlett quietly stated, she couldn't exactly help herself here but they were in the smack bang of another crisis all thanks to Elena. Turns out the She-Gilbert and Scarlett's apparently good Uncle Stefan were plotting against Damon, instead of helping him to get Katherine released from the tomb under Fell's church they were trying to prevent it.

"Your saying that Elena deserved what Damon did to her?" Stefan demanded in an angry manner referring to how Damon in a fit of rage grabbed Elena and forced her to drink his blood and threatening to kill her then and there. Scarlett let that one slide and put it down to her uncle having an incredibly bad day and she of all people knew what it was like to go slightly crazy after being betrayed by family.

"No that's what I said. Look I push his buttons occasionally well it's more like frequently because I find it to be fun and enjoyable but even I know his limits and so should you Uncle Stefan. Someone pushes Uncle Damon enough then he'll hit back twice as hard, at least. Did you honestly think that he wouldn't find out that you were double crossing him? This is Uncle Damon we're talking about, he doesn't trust nobody and trust me because I think the same way he does. When you said that you'd help him, he didn't trust you completely he just kept you at arms' length and for good reasons it seems considering the basement incident and the fall out from that." Scarlett said with a casual role of her eyes, it was like she was the adult in this family whilst Damon and Stefan were the children with some serious case of sibling rivalry.

"Damon could have killed and turned Elena, even though she's been gone all night and there's a chance that Damon's blood could still be in her system." Stefan pointed out.

Scarlett just shrugged her shoulders. "That's not exactly anything I haven't seen before and maybe Elena will make a better vampire than Vicki Donovan…"

"Look Elena's missing, I need to find her can you please help me Scarlett?"

"No. I told you already that I'm not getting involved with this so whatever trouble you and Elena have gotten into this time you can sort it out without any of my help. But he deserves to be happy like the rest of us or rather you Uncle Stefan... You may see him as this monster but you need to remember Uncle Stefan that he is still your brother."

"Why are you taking his side in all of this Scarlett? This is Damon we're talking about the same person who murdered Zach and got Lexi killed. He feels nothing nor does he care about anyone so why do you continue to take his side in all of this despite the fact that I know that you think the things he has done is wrong." Stefan questioned.

"I don't take his side, the only person's who side I take is mine because it is the side that is always right. But speaking of being right, let's talk about righteousness because a lot of the time you send to be sending out this self serving righteousness message which is funny coming from the big bad ripper." Scarlett began and Stefan's face fell just like Scarlett was expecting it to. "I know everything Uncle Stefan, I have the whole truth. Like how you are a ripper and you like the chase and kill of your victims when you fall of the animal blood band wagon.

"Scarlett…" Stefan said in shock.

"He told me about your father and how you killed him. I used to think Uncle Damon was evil because he killed our relatives and I heard you have a go at him form what he did to Zach but it's kind of hypocritical coming from you Uncle Stefan. You can't talk about what Uncle Damon has done in the past and be all judgemental about it because you've done the exact same thing." Scarlett couldn't help but point out finally noticing the irony in the nickname that Damon gave Stefan;_ St. Stefan._ Looks like one of Scarlett's had a rather crooked halo.

"This isn't about me right now Scarlett, this is about Damon and the tomb. You know that tomb cannot be opened because if it is then Katherine along with the other vampires in their will be free and able to roam around town and cause chaos and death like they did in 1864." Stefan argued.

"Then don't make it about the other vampires." Scarlett said pointing out the oh so blatantly obvious questions. "Uncle Damon wants Katherine so just figure out a way to make sure that only Katherine can get out of the tomb."

"It's not that easy Scarlett…" Stefan wearily stated.

"Yes it is, just figure out a way and then BOOM! Bob's your uncle and your brother not to mention my Uncle Damon will be out town and our lives. Sometimes oyu have to do things you don't like uncle Stefan and that is called life and it works to make your life so unfair and full of challenges as possible." Scarlett said with a shake of her head, she honestly thought that she was living with complete idiots because despite her uncles long ages the two of them seemed incredibly slow on getting the big picture and looking outside the box.

"And how do you suggest that?" Stefan demanded like Scarlett had all the solutions to fix these problems, which she probably could have but sometimes you couldn't tell men things you just had to lead them in the right direction and hope for the best.

Scarlett scoffed in a mixture of disgust and amusement because this entire thing was laughable hence her no involving aspect of this all. Scarlett's life and heart would be so much easier if she wasn't privy to not having the talent to read people's minds. "I don't have time for this I have to go to work. I'll be back later."


	35. Chapter 35

"So you and Caroline Forbes, huh?" Scarlett asked Matt as she walked away from a table where she had just delivered some drinks to a couple who were sitting in her section. Her and Matt had become friends of some sorts recently but it was more work friends then anything. When they were at work they'd talk, have their dinner breaks together as well as do their homework while they were on break. At school they'd smile and give the occasionally high when walking down the corridor, which was fine with Scarlett. She'd rather not have more friends then she could count on one hand.

Matt blushed a pale shade of pink and nodded much to Scarlett's amusement. "Yeah…"

"The footballer and cheerleader, I guess that makes sense although I'd never put you and Caroline together given well… Caroline and I don't personally like her but given by that big idiot grin you have on your face you must really like her."

"She's a good person Scarlett, you just have to look beyond the surface… you and her are very much alike." Matt told Scarlett.

"Really? I seriously doubt that!" Scarlett scoffed in disbelief the only things that her and Caroline and Forbes had in common were that they came from the founding families and had been in the same classes pretty much their entire lives. Other than that Scarlett doubted that the two of them had anything in common, the two of them were like oil and water.

"The two of you aren't what you make yourselves out to be to everyone else, underneath appearances you both are good people, take you for example Scarlett your actually a very nice person although on the surface you like having this tough and mean exterior. Caroline's a good person you just have to get to know her." Matt said and Scarlett just smirked in bemusement. "We're going to Duke's party tonight, you should come along you might have this little thing I like to call fun."

"I don't do parties Donovan." Scarlett quipped.

"I know that other people will be there and you really dislike people but you know it could be fun Scarlett, there's going to be loads of kegs all provided by Duke. And you no doubt don't like him especially since everyone Duke is the biggest douche in town so what better thing for you to do then go to his party and drink his beer." Matt pointed out.

Scarlett placed a hand on her heart and feigned heartbreak, it was odd that Matt could already know that much about Scarlett already and he was a nice guy so maybe the two of them being friends wouldn't be such a bad thing. "You know me so well Matt but it's really not my scene so I'll have to pass on it this time but maybe another time."

Getting back to work, Scarlett continued serving costumers and bring back and forth drinks and plates off food until her shift was finally over and after she had handed in her apron and retrieved her coat an bag she made her way out of the grill to where Stefan was outside clearly waiting for her. "Hey…"

"Right back at you." Scarlett replied, clearly he wanted something as he never came to seek her out for anything and no doubt it was something to do with Damon.

"We need to talk."

This thing that Stefan wanted to talk about ended up being about something big, turns out Elena and Bonnie had been kidnapped by some vampire called Anna who Damon and Stefan knew back in their heyday who also wanted to get in the tomb as her mother was stuck in their. A long story short Bonnie and Elena had been rescued but the tomb was being opened tonight by Bonnie and her Grandmother. So after some big explanation from Stefan, Scarlett went with him to ran a couple of errands as part of some deal that was made – with indirect help form Scarlett, Katherine would be allowed to leave but the rest of the vampires had to be killed by fire. So Scarlett had to go pick up about two gallons of petrol before meeting Stefan at nightfall and heading to the ruins of Old Fell Church where he set about doing something whilst Scarlett watched until the arrival of the two Bennett witches.

"Mrs. Bennett, it's good to see you again." Scarlett began as she zipped up her coat, she was standing out the dark in her work uniform that consisted of a t-shirt and black shorts so she was freezing her ass but that didn't mean she couldn't be polite.

"You too Scarlett."

"The two of you know each other?" Stefan questioned and Scarlett slowly nodded.

"Mrs. Bennett was friendly with Zach she was also one of the few people who actually cared about my well being after dad died. Didn't come over to the house to gawk at where dad died or fake sincerity in order to get some gossip. She just come to see how we were coping and to offer her support if we ever needed it. Meant a lot to me."

"It's unfortunate that we've had to meet under these circumstances again Scarlett." Shelia replied.

"From what I hear the vampires in my family and the witches in yours tend to find themselves in situations like these quite frequently." Scarlett quipped as she kicked a rock absentmindedly.

"I've cleared the debris away, set the torches like you asked. We can get down now." Stefan told Shelia and Bonnie, referring to the entrance of the infamous tomb.

"What is that?" Bonnie questioned pointing to the home made gasoline torch that Scarlett and Stefan had spent part of the afternoon putting together. Instead of getting ready for a party like any other normal teenager in this town Scarlett was making a portable fire spray.

"It's everything I need to destroy them." Stefan quietly replied.

"Are you sure that Damon will come back with her?" Shelia asked referring to Elena who had gone off to convince the big and not so bad Damon to give them another chance after they and by they Scarlett meant Elena and Stefan who had betrayed him. Besides Damon had the grimoire and well he didn't have a choice in the matter really.

Scarlett nodded before she heard familiar footsteps approaching and she already knew who it was so she just smirked. "He will."

"Brother. Witches. And dearly beloved niece." Damon began as he and Elena arrived and as Damon walked past Scarlett he grabbed her arm and pulled her along with him into the dark and of so creepy tomb, which had a pentagram on the door. And moments after they had walked in the others followed them, soon after Bonnie and Shelia began to prepare and Damon handed over the grimoire. "So what are you doing here Red?"

"I'm a Salvatore where else would I be? And Uncle Stefan caught me after work and gave me a heads up about this little shindig. Tried to discourage me from being here." Scarlett replied with a small shake of her head. "Is it bad that I feel rather pleased for you?"

"No Red." Damon quipped.

"I think some of the other's would object to that." Scarlett replied as she glanced over at Bonnie who was giving her the most disapproving look ever not that Scarlett actually cared. "I can't this whole tomb thing is happening and your leaving tonight, it's so soon but on the upside I can take your Christmas present back given that it cost me more than I would have like to spend."

"Don't act like you won't be all torn up when I leave Red." Damon smugly stated.

"Don't pretend that you won't miss me." Scarlett retorted and both uncle and niece both couldn't help but laugh at their exchange. Despite the fact that neither of them would admit it out loud but they were going to miss this when Damon inevitably left and just thinking of that was weird for Scarlett. As never did she think that she would have bonded with Damon so much when he came to town. It was terrifying and scary in a good yet weird way.

"What's that?" Stefan interrupted and Scarlett turned to see Damon unravelling a blood bag in his hands.

"It's for Katherine. Gotta have something to get her going unless your girl's offering to tap a vein." Damon quipped and Scarlett just rolled her eyes as Stefan and Damon were no longer playing nice with each other and they could not go five minutes without antagonizing each other in some shape or form. "Admit it. You can't wait to get rid of me."

"I can't wait to get rid of you." Stefan replied in a rather smug manner.

"We're ready." Bonnie announced and Scarlett took a deep breath as tonight was the night the big bad Katherine was finally going to be let out of her stony prison. Despite the fact she didn't know what to expect here Scarlett was with two vampires, two witches and a girl who looked like said locked up vampire. Scarlett couldn't help but note the company she seemed to keep and how strange it was.

Before Scarlett knew it thing were going very odd even for her Damon had taken Elena into the tomb with him as leverage and Stefan had disappeared to go get the little petrol and then during that time another vampire went into the tomb and well Scarlett kind of zoned out for a while until Stefan came back demanding to know where Elena is and once he was told that she was in the tomb he started to make his way into the tomb until Sheila stopped him. "Stefan! If you go in there, you won't come out."

"What?" Scarlett demanded.

"What did you do?" Stefan demanded turning to Shelia.

"Opening the door didn't remove the seal, it just opened the door." Shelia vaguely said.

"Then what exactly is the seal that Emily cast over this tomb Mrs. Bennett?" Scarlett asked as it was becoming even more clear that her and Stefan were missing some key bit of information pertaining to what spell Emily had cast over the tomb back in 1864.

"Some seals keep vampires from entering. This one keeps them from coming out." Shelia revealed.

"Elena's human. She can leave, Katherine can't. Damon's can't… You were never planning on breaking the spell were you?" Stefan questioned as Scarlett looked horrified at this prospect, this couldn't be happening. She refused to accept this.

"I told you. I will protect my own, Elena can get out and that's all that matters." Shelia said and after a few moments there was a scream and there was only one person who that could be and that was Elena and before Scarlett could even blink Stefan was gone.

"I-I can't believe you'd do this." Scarlett spat at Shelia. "Damon and Emily had an agreement, he'd protect your family line in exchange for the tomb to be opened. I thought witches were supposed to be some kind of paragon for good but look at you two. It's disgusting."

"It's for the best Scarlett." Shelia wearily said.

"Y-You can't do this! They are my family, the only people I have left in the entire world because Zach is dead just like my dad and my mother is living in another town playing happy families with another man. You do this and your ruin my life. You will take away everything from me because I have nothing without them. Stefan and Damon may be vampires but they are my family and we may not be normal but we love each other. We are a family! Don't do this…"

"I'm sorry but we have to…" Shelia said and shaking her head Scarlett made her way into the tomb. This wasn't going to happen, this wasn't how it was supposed to end. She wasn't going to say goodbye to Stefan and Damon, losing the only family she had left. "There's nothing you can do Scarlett."

"That may be true so I'll just stay with them…" Scarlett shakily said.

"You'll die if you stay in there." Bonnie pointed out.

"Then so be it, your grandmother says she protects her own well I have my own little thing and that is is I will never abandon my own. If Stefan and Damon are going trapped in their forever then I'll be in there with them till I die because I am a Salvatore." Scarlett said and taking a deep breath she walked into the tomb, it was dark and all around her Scarlett could hear whispers and with what light there was Scarlett could see mummified bodies and so she started to run in order to find her family. She was running blindly as she had no idea where she was going until she somehow managed to stumble across Damon. "Uncle Damon… something's happened." Scarlett began panting as she struggled to get her breath back but she was ignored as Damon was kicking and punching a wall as he got continually frustrated about something.

"She's not here…" Damon yelled and it caused Scarlett to take a couple of steps back.

"Scarlett what are you two doing here?"

Looking back Scarlett's heart quickened when she saw Stefan standing there, that was one problem solved although they were in were in the middle of an even bigger one. "N-Not leaving you. If you're stuck in here then so am I…"

There was a softened look in Stefan's eyes as he placed a hand on Scarlett's shoulder. "Their working on lifting the seal so we can get out of here but I need to leave now."

"I'm not leaving without either of you!" Scarlett stated and Stefan sighed and nodded. "But there's something wrong with Uncle Damon, I've never seen him like this…"

"Damon…" Stefan began.

"She's not here!"

"What?"

"She's not here!" Damon yelled as he threw the blood bag against the wall that splattered everywhere and Scarlett felt a pang in her chest when she finally realized what Damon had been talking about. Katherine wasn't here in the tomb. "She's not here! Katherine isn't here…"

Scarlett heard a distinct cry from Elena telling them that they needed to get out of here which gave her some mild hope so she turned her attention over to Damon who was looking around the room like he had clearly missed Katherine sitting in the corner. "Uncle Damon we need to get out of here…"

"It doesn't make sense… They locked her inside." Damon said more to himself than the others.

"If we don't leave now, we're not getting out!" Stefan stressed but it was obvious that Damon wasn't listening to any of them. He just couldn't focus on anything else, he was fixated on trying to figure out what he missed and why Katherine wasn't here in the tomb.

"How could she not be in here?" Damon angrily stated

"It's not worth spending all of eternity down here. She's not worth it!" Stefan told Damon trying to reason with him.

"No!" Damon yelled just as Elena came rushing into the room.

Shaking her head Scarlett made her way to Damon and forced him to look at her ignoring the adrenaline that was pumping throughout her body. "Uncle Damon! Please… We need to leave, I will do anything to help you figure this out but we can't do that if we're all stuck in here so please… do this for me!" Scarlett pleaded and it seemed to work as Damon finally started move and so the four of them made their way through the tomb and out of the tomb just in the nick of time as the door shut just as Scarlett barely walked out of it.

"Oh my…" Scarlett breathed as she leant forward and placed her hands on her knees as she tried to get her breath back until she felt a hand on her shoulder and glancing up she saw it was Stefan. So standing up proper the two of them hugged each other and as Scarlett let go of Stefan she felt the sharp pain in her chest get worse and she clutched in fear. She thought the increased heart rate was all the adrenaline but it wasn't. It was her heart. Stumbling back a couple of steps Scarlett felt her back against the wall and her legs gave out and she slid to the ground.

"Scarlett… T-take a deep beat, we can do this…" Stefan said as he dropped onto his knees and took one of Scarlett's hands in his own.

"I-It hurts Uncle Stefan…" Scarlett said as hot tears began pooling at the side of her of her face. Her heart had never been in this much pain before, it was different then all those other times because it was like her heart was actually breaking this time. Managing to glance at Damon for a brief moment Scarlett could figure out why it was even in the state she was in. Not only was it the stress of the possibly losing Damon and Stefan forever and everything that had gone on in the tomb but her heart was also breaking for Damon. He waited for so long to get Katherine back but she wasn't there. Scarlett's heart was breaking because someone she loved was in so much pain.

"W-What's going on?" Bonnie demanded.

"Scarlett has a bad heart!" Elena said.

Struggling to breath Scarlett pinched her nose to do the little manoeuvre that she normally did to fix her heart and whilst she did she kept her hers on Stefan as somehow that was helping her to calm down and after two minutes Scarlett started to feel a little better. "You okay now?" Stefan questioned and Scarlett didn't respond just gave a shaky thumbs up.

"Oh my, Jeremy!" Elena gasped running out of the tomb and Stefan just looked at Scarlett.

"I'll be fine, go…" Scarlett said with a sigh and after Stefan had gone she waited a minute or so before attempting to get up but Scarlett struggled until a helping hand came from none other than Damon. The two looked at each other for the briefest moment and Damon gently patted Scarlett on the head before making his way out. Scarlett stayed there for a few minutes breathing in and out before she ventured making her way out and her along with Bonnie and Shelia just stood there in silence before Stefan came back.

"I want to take you to the hospital and have Dr. Parker check you out, that was a pretty bad one that you had. This is all my fault, I should have never told you or gotten you involved in any of this Scarlett…" Stefan began.

Scarlett shook her head. "It's not your fault that I have authority issues and I'm just glad that you're both safe Uncle Stefan. So can we just go home? I just need to be home and sit down for a while."

"Sure I'll take you now." Stefan replied putting Scarlett's arm around his neck and lifting Scarlett up before turning to Bonnie and Sheila. "Thank you, I know it was a lot in fact too much to ask."

"Take care of her." Shelia said motioning her head in the direction of Scarlett and Stefan nodded before making his way out of the tomb with Scarlett. He carried her to where they had left her car earlier and he drove them back to the boarding house. When they got back the house was quiet but Scarlett saw a soft light coming form the library and when she walked in she saw Damon sitting on the coffee table looking at the fire. And there was Lucrezia sitting curled up by his feet, it was no common secret that the two of them hated each other but Lucrezia could always tell when someone was hurt.

Scarlett made her way over to where Damon was and instead of sitting down in the two armchairs that were near to him she sat down on the floor. He didn't look, move or give any indication to acknowledge that she was there but Scarlett knew that Damon didn't have to. For a few minutes the two of them just sat there until Scarlett finally found the courage to say something. It wasn't anything special but she just wanted to tell him anything. "I'm sorry."

"So am I." Damon wearily responded as he continues to stare at the fire and the two of them once again fell into silence not to be joined by Stefan. And so the three of them just sat there in silence. Like Scarlett had said earlier they may not be the most conventional family as they were made up of one human and two vampires and most of the time, well pretty much all of the time they barely functioned in a way that could only be seen as dysfunctional. But they were a family.


	36. Chapter 36

Christmas Eve. It had been a very long couple of days for Scarlett because she had a list of about a million and ten things to do every since school had broken up for the holidays, which had nothing to do with cooking dinner tomorrow. That was the one thing that she needn't worry about. But everything was pretty much done. There was a huge Christmas tree in the living room, which Scarlett, Damon and Stefan all decorated together. It was quite honestly one of the oddest experiences of Scarlett's life as it involved a conspicuous amount of booze and the worst rendition of jingle bell rock Scarlett had ever heard that she laughed so hard that she almost pissed her pants. But Scarlett had really gone out with his Christmas thing, with decorations everywhere and even buying Damon, Stefan and Violetta stockings to hang on the fireplace along with hers and Lucrezia's.

"Hey Scarlett, what are you doing?" Stefan asked slowly as he walked into the kitchen to hear his niece quietly singing little donkey to herself.

"Can you not tell that I finishing off the touches to my gingerbread house?" Scarlett said as she finished icing the gingerbread house and placed two candy canes by the little door before stepping back to admire her handwork and boy did Scarlett like it. She had been working on this hours for hours and now it was finally done and it would taste so good tomorrow.

"I brought back some coke, I noticed we were running low and I know how much you like it." Stefan replied as he placed a small brown bag on the kitchen counter as Scarlett wiped her hands on the apron she was wearing. Last three hours or so she had been in the kitchen baking an assortments of Christmas treats and now the entire house smelt like Christmas much to Scarlett's joy.

"You know I still can't believe what you said about the coke advert! Everybody knows that it's Christmas when the coca cola advert comes on tv, it's gospel!" Scarlett said as she snorted in disbelief, she had almost had a stroke when Stefan said he didn't know about the coke advert. Ironic thing was Scarlett was drinking coke at the time and had spat most of it out in sheer shock. "Never mind that, you have a good time with Elena?"

"Yeah it was fine, she's just a bit down because she still hasn't heard back from Bonnie yet." Stefan wearily said and Scarlett just looked away uncomfortably. After the whole tomb incident/drama/sage Bonnie's grandmother Shelia passed away, no doubt because the spell took a toll on her. Given that Shelia had tried to condemn the only Scarlett had left to an eternity in a tomb she wasn't exactly torn up.

"Oh." That was the only thing Scarlett could bring herself to saying as she picked up one of the two dozen Christmas cookies she had made and took a bite out of it.

"What about you and Damon? What did the two of you get up to today?" Stefan questioned and Scarlett couldn't help but smirk. Damon was being all weird and pretending everything was fine when it clearly wasn't but if he wanted to be in denial then who was Scarlett to stop him? Either way the two of them had been hanging out and generally having a good time.

"Nothing much we spent the day watching Christmas horror films, you know fun stuff..." Scarlett replied absentmindedly until she noticed Stefan giving her the oddest look because of what she said and Scarlett just shrugged her shoulders. She didn't think there was a problem with watching festive horror films and neither did Damon and the two of them had a pretty good time watching the scary Jack Frost and the original Black Christmas then the two of them got a real kick out of watching Bad Santa.

"H-has he said anything? About what happened?"

Scarlett sighed. "Uncle Stefan you don't get it, you won't get it because you're different from Uncle Damon and I. But let me explain it in a way that you may be able to understand. There is a code of silence between us, there are things we don't talk about and the tomb thing is one of them. But to answer the question you really what to know he is still acting all bright, shiny and about two days away from me wanting to kick him in the face which coincidently coincides with boxing day, ironically. He just needs time, it was a big shock to him."

"Is that why you've gone to such a big effort for Christmas?" Stefan stated motioning to the various Christmas treats in the room and the eggnog that Scarlett and Damon had made a couple of hours ago, which was practically gone. Which reminded Scarlett that she'd have to make some more tomorrow.

"Uncle Stefan it's common knowledge that the holiday season is when depression, family arguments and that other crap spike. And none of us have exactly had the easiest few months as of late and in particular Uncle Damon whose still dealing with the Katherine thing despite pretending he's in fine so excuse me for putting in a bit more effort this years. Although Christmas is always like this here in the house and besides it's Christmas and even I like Christmas despite me being a general scrooge the rest of the years." Scarlett pointed out as she took a sip of her hot chocolate

"Scarlett…"

"We could all do with one day with all three of us being under the same room and pretending to do what normal families do during the holidays and before you say anything you don't get to count Thanksgiving because you and Uncle Damon cheated when we we're playing football." Scarlett stated and sticking out her tongue for added effect.

"You really like Christmas don't you?" Stefan questioned guessing the obvious.

"Are you kidding? Christmas is like my birthday, thanksgiving and easter all rolled into one! You get the food, gifts and all the treats not to mention all the good tv that is on during the holidays. And the company isn't generally too bad although the jury is out of this year but it's going to be great! First we wake up and dinner goes in the over and on the stove and we do presents, then breakfast and then whilst we're waiting on that we watch a film and we definitely have to watch home alone. It's a family tradition along with staying in out pyjamas all day. I also play the play the piano and sing Christmas carols and I've already told Uncle Damon that it is mandatory, no excuses. We play various games and by then it's time for dinner and after that we watch more holiday films and tv stuff ourselves with treats and alcohol. Then do the same thing again on boxing day although getting dressed is optional…" Scarlett explained and by the end of that she was practically out of breath.

"Wow, you really go all out for Christmas don't you Scarlett?"

"What can I say nobody does Christmas like Scarlett Salvatore." Scarlett replied with a cocky grin. Scarlett wasn't one for boasting often but it was Christmas and she was related to Damon so it couldn't really be helped. Not to mention her cooking simply rocked. "But seriously if you two mess up my Christmas day then I will… well you really don't want to know what I'll do given that one of you is going to have to keep me in line on boxing day when my mother and her stupid husband come over."

"I can't believe you actually agreed to let Claire come over." Stefan replied in a rather amused manner.

"As much as I'd rather not the woman wants to get to know me for god knows what reasons and I foolish agreed to when you tried to ship me off to her. Plus her and Mr. Moron of her husband and very well off and they are putting money into my account to cover keeping the house up, the bills and everything else so I'm kind of expected to see them and be grateful. Although I said that they had to come here, if I have to see them both then I'd rather it be here on my home ground plus it'll make Claire feel even more guiltier than she already is." Scarlett said with a shake of her head, she really didn't even want to think about that at the moment because it just made her feel miserable and Scarlett did not do miserable at Christmas So she was going to repress it for now.

"She's trying Scarlett, you have to give her that so maybe you should try and give Claire a bit of break when she comes over."

Scarlett just snorted in response, that was actually funny. "Hey just because it's Christmas doesn't mean I'm going to forget what she did or let it slide, I'm not Mother Teresa or the bloody Pope. I hold grudges."


	37. Chapter 37

Christmas morning couldn't come early enough for Scarlett and by 8am she was bouncing off the wall with excitement but it was too bad that Damon and Stefan were still sleeping because Scarlett was bored. She had put the turkey in the oven, snuck a few presents that were wrapped last night under the tree and made a fresh batch of eggnog just to name a few things. So deciding to shake things up a little Scarlett poured a glass of eggnog and made her way upstairs to Damon's room. Creeping into the room Scarlett put the glass down on the bedside table before proceeding to jump on Damon's bed in an effort to wake him. "UNCLE DAMON! Wake up it's Christmas jackass!" Scarlett squealed.

"Go away…" Damon grumbled.

"Wakey wakey Uncle Damey!" Scarlett crooned in a rather happy manner as she continued jumping until she jumped on Damon's leg and fell onto the bed in a rather bouncy manner and it caused her to burst out laughing before getting back up and continuing what she was doing.

"Red are you drunk? This early in the morning? …Did you drink the rest of the egg nog?" Damon wearily questioned and Scarlett couldn't help but giddily nod as she continued to jump up and down on Damon's bed.

"But I'm not drunk, at least not yet. I've only had two glasses of the batch that I made this morning." Scarlett quipped in bemusement, jumping on Damon's bed was actually kind of fun as the bed was rather springy and it made Scarlett think about doing it some more until she decided to stop as she was starting to get vertigo from all the jumping. So she jumped once more before happily bouncing off the bed. "I brought you up some, it's on the table…"

"Good girl I'm impressed..." Damon murmured as he tiredly sat up and grabbed the glass and started drinking it.

"Now I'm going to wake up your brother so be downstairs in five minutes otherwise no more egg nog for you." Scarlett stated before waltzing out the room belting out Rudolph the red nose reindeer at the top of her lungs, continuing as she crossed the house to get to Stefan's room although she got the surprise when it turns out that Stefan was already awake and writing in his journal. "Merry Christmas Uncle Stefo."

"Merry Christmas to you too Scarlett." Stefan replied with a small chuckle.

"Come downstairs, come downstairs, come downstairs, come downstairs I want to open presents so come now! I'm being serious Uncle Stefan come downstairs otherwise, I won't be happy and I don't do not happy on Christmas!" Scarlett squeaked as she made her way over to Stefan and dragged him up off his bed and started shoving out the door before proceeding to jump on his back and make him give her a piggyback down the stairs to the living room.

When they got there Damon was already waiting and after a few weird and happy smiley interactions between Stefan and Damon, the three of them got down to business. For Christmas Scarlett got Damon a new leather jacket to replace the one that she ruined, a very expensive bottle of scotch and a Taylor Swift cd for laughs plus some of the Hawaiian coffee that he oddly liked. Then for Stefan, Scarlett got him some books and the dvd boxset of I love lucy which was like his favourite show ever.

"It's my turn." Stefan said as he handed over two present to Scarlett.

Taking the biggest one Scarlett unwrapped it to find that it was a camera but not just any camera it was rolleiflex and on the side there was a label that read G. Salvatore. And Scarlett felt a large lump in her throat that she found it hard to swallow. It was probably all the egg nog though. "Did this belong to my dad?"

"Yeah Gabriel loved taking pictures, you were probably too you to remember but your dad was always taking pictures of you growing up. I found the camera in the attic whilst I was putting some things in the attic and I thought you'd like it. Something about your dad that you didn't know about." Stefan explained. "And it's also connected to the second part of your present, I found some film in the camera and I went and got it developed…"

Opening the second present Scarlett opened a flat box to find inside a framed black and white photograph of her and her dad when she four. Scarlett was sitting in her dad's lap and the two of them were laughing as he read her a book. "Wow…"

"Zach took it, I assume. It's a really nice photo of you and your dad." Stefan noted.

"Yeah…"

"Enough of the sappy stuff, now it's my turn and Red you are really going to like this one." Damon interrupted shoving a several gifts into Scarlett's hand. "And before you ask there is nothing dead in here."

Weary and very slowly unwrapping the present Scarlett found there to be several items in there, the first was about ten different pairs of socks, odd just the way Scarlett liked them then the second was a bobble head of Vito Corleone from the godfather which was without a doubt Scarlett's favourite film since she was ten. There was also one of those ridiculously ugly Christmas sweaters which Scarlett loved because everyone hated them And lastly a rag doll that was supposed to be Red Riding Hood with her black hair and big blue eyes and it fully came with the red cape and detachable basket and this being Damon he had stuck a piece of paper in the basket saying I owe you one axe. "This is great all of there are…"

Being the polite girl that Scarlett usually wasn't she hugged her uncles and over that was she went about cooking them breakfast which wasn't overly fancy considering the dinner they were going to have later but still it rocked. Once that had all been done Scarlett had sent Damon to go to the 'second' living room to put Home Alone in the dvd player so they could all watch it as per Scarlett's holiday traditions and Damon actually went along, after he swiped a bottle of Red wine that he thought Scarlett didn't notice. Although she pretend to. But she let him be as Scarlett was putting the vegetables on the stove and in the over to cook whilst Stefan watched as Scarlett had made it clear that he was not to touch a thing if he wanted to live.

"Have you been drinking and cooking Christmas dinner at the same time?" Stefan asked Scarlett as she took a sip of her eggnog as she checked on the turkey not to mention her parsnips and placed the potatoes oven.

Scarlett looked at Stefan sheepishly as she swallowed about her fifth cup of eggnog so far. "Yeah, I thought everyone did that…"


	38. Chapter 38

The holidays were over and Scarlett had barely survived them due to the inconspicuous amount of alcohol that she had consumed and now she was back at work not to mention school which kind of okay as she really couldn't spend another entire day cooped up in the house with Stefan and Damon, she loved them but they really needed some space away from each other. As Scarlett was becoming cranky, Damon was still acting weird and Stefan was walking around like he was on eggshells as not to set either of them off. So when her boss and offered her a shift Scarlett practically bolted out of the house but it was now a new year and things were calming down slightly until the next crisis came up.

"Scarlett can we talk?"

Damn. Spoke too soon. Taking a deep breath Scarlett looked up from where she was refilling the cutlery draw to see Stefan standing there. "Sure but it's got to be quick, if my boss catches me slacking off he'll make me stay to help out with this stupid founders bachelor auction shindig and I'd rather not given that my shift ends in ten minutes and I'd like to be straight out of the door when it is."

"It's about Damon… Have you seen or spoken to him today?" Stefan questioned.

"Oh yeah I saw him briefly but he was kind of in the middle of something with these three college girls, a foursome or something and I rolled my eyes made a comment about how he better not be turning my house into a brothel and left for work why?"

"And you're not bothered by this?"

"No… Although I'd prefer my house not to be turned into a whore house." Scarlett said narrowing her eyes at Stefan. "But why are you? This is a good thing, look your brother is the poster boy for hedonism and essential the playboy vampire and if he's going back to his drinking and womanizing ways that means he's starting to become himself again and that is a good thing because I am very close to kicking him in the face because this whole bright, shiny and pretending to be happy when he's not is starting to really piss me off and I haven't done anything yet because I'm trying to be supportive."

"Did he say anything to you? Or ever mention someone called Isobel in passing?"

"What's with asking me the ten million questions? If you need something from Damon then go ask him Stefan? Scarlett replied with a shake of her head.

"I know the two of you are close and you talk, not to mention you have this code of silence but this is really important Scarlett I need to know if he's ever mentioned a woman called Isobel from North Carolina to you." Stefan stressed.

"I'm not hiding anything, Damon has never mentioned anything about someone called me Isobel but why is this so important to you? Other than myself, Katherine and Elena when have you cared about the women in Damon's life?" Scarlett questioned.

"Because this woman Isobel was not only Elena's birth mother she was Alaric Saltzman's wife and Damon killed her." Stefan revealed.

"Oh…" Scarlett replied, she vaguely remembered hearing about how Elena was adopted and she figured she must have discarded the information as being irrelevant to her life as she had her own family problems to deal with let alone the Gilberts. But now she was hearing that Damon had killed Elena's birth mother who had been married to their history who was secretly a vampire hunter and had attacked Stefan a couple of weeks back. This was one small little world and get even smaller Scarlett thought to herself. "Let me guess? He wants to kill my favourite egocentric and homicidal uncle…"

"Pretty much, he wants answers but I asked Damon and he claims not to remember a thing but I don't think that's true."

Scarlett snorted. "Like Damon is ever going to give that up, there's a better chance of me kissing Mrs. Lockwood's ass but maybe he doesn't remember. Damon wouldn't remember where half his crap is half the time if it wasn't for me. But do you want me to ask him?"

"No. I'm taking care of it just please don't ask Damon or Alaric about any of this Isobel thing I just thought I'd give you a heads up because I know you like to be kept in the loop and of course if this eventually comes out and explodes."

That was most likely going to happen given that this was Mystic Falls that they all lived in but choosing to ignore the obvious moment for a sarcastic moment Scarlett just nodded her head and walked off. After her shift was over Scarlett went back home fed Lucrezia and Violetta and took a shower because she somehow smelt of kitchen grease and after she got changed into her pyjamas Scarlett left her room in order to make herself some tea to drink before she went upstairs to read a book until she fell asleep. As she made way downstairs Scarlett heard a loud crash and running down the stairs following the noise into the library she saw Mr. Saltzman laying on the floor struggling to breath whilst Damon was had just chucked a stake onto a couch. "What did you do?" Scarlett yelled at Damon as she ran over to Mr. Saltzman and dropped to her knees and placed her hands over the wound in Mr. Saltzman's chest in an effort to stop the bleeding.

"Don't bother Red, he's dying…"

"Shut up!" Scarlett shrieked as she turned her attention over to her teacher who was struggling to breath and was making all these gasping sounds like a fish out of water. "D-Don't worry Mr. Saltzman, everything's going to be fine…"

"No it's not and I doubt he appreciates you lying to him in his final moments." Damon snorted in bemusement and as he did that Scarlett felt Mr. Saltzman's chest stop rising and eventually his heart beating slower and slower until it finally stopped and she just fell back in shock and looked at her hands covered in Mr. Saltzman's blood and being able to feel him dying with her own hands.

"You son of a bitch…" Scarlett said but it was loud enough for Damon to hear.

"For god's sake Red don't be so over dramatic, they'll find another history teacher somewhere so calm your little self down before that heart of yours gets too excited." Damon cheerily warned.

"Unlike you he was a good man and he didn't deserve this and it's not some kind of joke, you've just killed yet another person Damon. Someone who had a life, a job and probably a family and friends but you just don't care…" Scarlett said with a shake of her head.

"What happened?" Scarlett looked up to see Stefan standing in the doorway and moments later he did the same thing that she did earlier, rushed in and dropped to his knees, kneeling over Mr. Saltzman. "What did you do Damon?"

"Do what? He attacked me." Damon replied.

It was clear that neither Scarlett or Stefan were buying this weak defence "Damon…"

"All I did was tell him the truth. His wife didn't want him anymore, it's not my fault he couldn't handle the truth." Damon said with a shrug off his shoulders, which caused Scarlett to scoff in disbelief. "What's so funny Red?"

"You say he couldn't handle the truth about his wife is it like you've been handling Katherine? Because your not dealing with it and your not handling with it your doing that everything is fine bullshit which is a lie because all you've been doing is living in some little whole screwing countless women and drinking alcohol like it's bloody water!" Scarlett retorted.

"I'm handling it fine, you know what? Isobel came to me, she found me and begged me to turn her into a vampire. And if she's related to Elena that means she's related to Katherine. Maybe Katherine sent her to me…" Damon stated.

"Stop it… You don't have to keep looking." Stefan said.

"Can't be a coincidence Isobel sought me out, can't I'm assuming you'll take care of this." Damon said putting his drink down, pointing to Mr. Saltzman's body before proceeding to walk out of the room.

Scarlett looked at Stefan and sighed as he moved off his knees to sit on the floor and the two of them just stared at the dead body of Alaric Saltzman as he laid on the library floor. She had no idea what they were going to do about this one and Scarlett frowned at the prospect of having to cover up another death until she saw Mr. Saltzman's chest suddenly lift up and he took a deep intake of breath, which caused Scarlett to leap back in a mixture of shock, surprise, fear and generally being scared shitless. "Holy shit!" Scarlett cried clutching her heart in shock.

"You okay?" Stefan questioned and Scarlett wearily nodded, apart from the little shock she had received and that she was certain that her heart had just reset itself but apart from that she was fine. Since they establish that she was fine Stefan helped Mr. Saltzman sit up.

"What happened? What's going on?" Mr. Saltzman questioned.

"Y-You were just…" Scarlett stammered in shock, this was a new one.

"Did Damon turn you?" Stefan asked him.

Mr. Saltzman shook his head. "No. I went for him and then he stabbed me, then the last thing I saw was Scarlett and then I can't remember anything…"

"No, no, no. You must have vampire blood in your system. Somebody must have slipped it to you." Stefan reasoned and Scarlett just nodded in agreement because that was the only thing that would explain any of this.

"No. It's… It's something else." Mr. Saltzman stated, flexing his hand.

"Then how? You were dead Sir, I literally have your blood on my hands." Scarlett wearily said holding up her hands for proof. There was no other way to explain how he died and then came back from the dead. He had to be a vampire, there was no other explanation.

Mr. Saltzman lifted up his right ring to reveal and black and bulky ring that reminded Scarlett of Damon and Stefan's rings. "I…Isobel, this ring protected me…"

"That's impossible…" Stefan added.

"I know." Mr. Saltzman added sharing looks of confusion with Scarlett and Stefan, the three of them looked at each other before after a few moment Mr. Saltzman began to stand up and both Stefan and Scarlett both helped him. "So Scarlett… Are you…?"

Scarlett knew where her teacher was getting at but shook her head. "Stefan and Damon's cousin? Nope I'm actually their niece give or take five or six generations and I'm not a vampire but Damon has made me the last living Salvatore."

"But you know about vampire?" Mr. Saltzman slowly said.

"Since the day I was born."

"Wow…"

"Doesn't even begin to cover it…"


	39. Chapter 39

Scarlett lay lazily on a couch in the living room, she was exhausted due to the long day she had at school and work that she did not have the energy to move from the couch up to her bedroom. It actual made Scarlett think about cutting back on some of her shifts at the grill but that was impossible as she needed the money so she'd just take a small nap on the couch for a while and then she'd move upstairs so turning onto her side she closed her eyes and let herself give into exhaustion. That is until she fell to the floor with a rather loud and hard bang and groaning Scarlett looked up to see Damon standing there. "Move over Red!" Damon quipped with a cocky grin as he sat down on the couch from where he just ejected Scarlett from.

"You're an ass not to mention drunk yet again." Scarlett grumbled as she crawled back onto the couch, taking a seat next to Damon for reasons she didn't know why. Scarlett wasn't exactly on pleased with her uncle after his little stunt of temporarily killing another one of history teachers and this time in the house.

"But you still love me." Damon boasted and Scarlett couldn't help but scoff in bemusement and soon enough the two of them fell into a peaceful silence and Scarlett started to nod off. "Don't look at me like that…"

Scarlett opened her mouth to state that she wasn't even looking at him as her eyes were shut until she realized they weren't the only ones in the room and she looked up to see Stefan. "Are you crazy…"

"I-I don't know what this is about but I'm too tired to be dealing with both of you and whatever pettiness is going on right now so deal with it yourself because I'm going to bed…" Scarlett said with a yawn as she stood up.

Before any of them could say anything there was a loud crash and Scarlett barely had to time to see the man jump through the window and immediately pounce on Stefan before proceeding to stab him with a piece of glass from the window. Scarlett could only watch as Damon pushed whoever this assailant was off of Stefan and begin to fight him. She saw Stefan remove the piece of glass from his chest as a female no doubt a vampire came in through the broken window, Scarlett had barely anytime to react when the female grabbed her by the neck and threw her across the room with such ferocity that Scarlett crashed into one of the bookshelves and landed on her shoulder when she finally hit the ground and moments later she was hit by books falling off the shelf. Whatever happened next Scarlett honestly couldn't say as the next thing she remembered was Stefan and Damon rushing over to her and clearing the books off of her before helping her up and as did Scarlett feel a searing pain in her arm that made her cry out in pain.

"Fuck…" Scarlett said biting down on her lip as she looked at her right arm, which didn't look right in the slightest not to mention the throbbing in her head.

"It looks like a dislocation Red but not to worry because I'll pop it back in." Damon offered and is Scarlett wasn't in so much pain then she would have said something very rude and inappropriate that had a variety of swear words in it.

"Damon don't we need to take Scarlett to the hospital, not only have you been drinking but if either of us attempt to pop her shoulder back in and we use to much force we could shatter it. She also needs to stitches…" Stefan said and Scarlett could have hugged him if she could. "You go and I'll take care of this…"

Turns out 'this' was the dead vampire sprawled out in the living room not to mention the damage that had been left behind by the little ambush but Scarlett was in too much pain to care. An hour and a half later Scarlett and Damon arrived back at the boarding house feeling very much wide awake, given that Damon had been right about Scarlett's shoulder being dislocated and when it was popped back in the flurry of swear words all came flooding out much to Damon's amusement. So with one arm immobilized and five stitches not to mention and rather destroyed living room Scarlett reconvened with her uncles to find out what the hell was going on. Because she was not a very happy camper about any of this.

"The vampires from the tomb have been released, every single one of them is out there somewhere and some of them are very hostile…" Stefan began.

"Clearly." Scarlett said as she pointed to the room and then herself. "Your little buddies from 1864 have wrecked me and my house. Please tell me the two of you are going to be useful to me for once and do something about this because if not then I'll have to put everything in this house in to storage because this house is a walking museum and I can't afford to be replacing and remodelling it all."

"Sure we will Red…" Damon said patting Scarlett on her shoulder, unfortunately for her it just so happened to be the bad one.

"Wanker…" Scarlett cried out in pain.

"My bad, here take one of these Red they should help you mellow out a bit." Damon said holding out the pain meds that Scarlett was provided and Scarlett just rolled her eyes because there was no way she was going to be able to open a bottle of pain killers which were childproof with her one good arm. Scarlett just sighed it was like she was surrounded by idiots.

"H-How did the vampires get out? I thought you two and that girl Anna and her mother were the only ones able to escape from the tomb?" Scarlett asked as she sat down on the couch and leaned back.

"I think that when Shelia and Bonnie lifted the deal to let us out something went wrong enabling the tomb vampires to all come out." Stefan wearily replied.

Scarlett sighed she really couldn't deal with any of this right now, all she wanted to do was take some pills and crash in her bed. All this nonsense could wait until tomorrow when she was in less pain but still very much pissed off. And speaking of pissed of Scarlett realized that there was no way she could work with one arm, which just annoyed her even more. "I want you to find who did this and I want them dead. Like now."

"Don't worry Red, they aren't going to get away with what they did I'll make them pay for hurting you." Damon assured her.

"I guess that will have to do considering it's not like we can get a cheque to fix everything all the damage done here but do it quickly Uncle Damon otherwise I will figure out to strangle someone with my one good hand and it will not be pretty…"


	40. Chapter 40

_Thanks for all the reviews! A bit of bad news for you all, there won't be any new chapters for a week or two as i'm going to visit some family and then moving into my own flat and i have to get the internet installed and i don't know when that will be so to tide you over i did this really long chapter and despite the fact i won't have internet for while i'll continue to write so when i do get the internet at my new flat i'll have lots of chapters to post! i promise the moment my internet is up and running there will be a chapter so don't think i've abandoned this story because i haven't! i'll be back xx  
_

* * *

"I really don't see why we have to keep doing this." Scarlett said with a sigh as she held out her good hand in front of Damon as get some of her pain medication. Damon was keeping it under lock and key and anytime Scarlett needed it she had to come and find him much to her annoyance. They were her pills not his and just because she couldn't open them because of that damn child proof cap it didn't mean she couldn't look after them and just ask Damon to open it when she needed them.

"Red need I remind you that you tried to kill yourself a couple of months ago by swallowing a whole bunch of pills with some scotch so for that reason I'm keeping a hold of these pills... now swallow the damn pills and have some water." Damon stated putting the pills in Scarlett's hand.

Sighing Scarlett took the pills from Damon's hand, put it in her mouth and swallowed it with some water before rolling her eyes. "Firstly that wasn't my fault as you drove me to it and secondly it clearly didn't succeeded as I'm standing here arguing with you about it Uncle Damon so sing another song, will ya? Uncle Stefan back me up here."

Stefan looked away briefly from where he was boarding up the windows after last nights little escapades, there was big storm rolling over town and since they were missing one window it kind of needed to be boarded up until it was fixed. "Damon hand the pills over Scarlett isn't exactly a child anymore, she'll be eighteen this year."

"And to think I was convinced you'd take my side in this considering that you were the one who saved our 'disturbed' niece from near death but I'm not handing them over. She's a minor and I'm the adult here and until Scarlett is as old as me then I'm in charge." Damon quipped as he made his way over to Stefan, snatching the hammer out of his brother's hand before taking over the boarding up of the window job.

"As old as you? You know that is never going to happen given that you're a very senior citizen and I don't intend on ever becoming a vampire. I'll never be as old as you Uncle Damon!" Scarlett couldn't help but point out.

"Exactly so either way I'll win." Damon gloated and Scarlett just rolled his eyes before looking at Stefan who just shrugged his shoulders and carried on with what he was doing. And the three of them all stood there in silence until Elena walked into the library.

"Hey… Sorry I'm so late, the weather outside is just terrible and really difficult to drive in…"Elena explained until she caught sight of Scarlett and let out a loud gasp no doubt because of the sling and the stitches. "Oh my god Scarlett… look at you! The vampires last night did that to you? When Stefan said that they had hurt you I didn't think it would be this bad…"

"It's not as bad as it looks, doctors checked me out with a couple of x-rays and they said I'm fine or I will; be and they popped my shoulder back in and sent me on my way with some pain meds. I more annoyed about the fact that those vampires had the nerve to come into my house and cause a scene…" Scarlett said using her good arm to motion to the library, most of the mess of last night had been cleared away but Scarlett was till annoyed about it.

"Exactly! I say we go to Pearl's bust down the door and annihilate the idiot that attacked us last night, we make them pay for that and then we kill him for hurting Red. As it's one thing going after the two of us but it's another thing going after Red. He needs to know that she is off limits and killing him makes that point pretty clear." Damon suggested.

"Yeah… I get that your mad because Scarlett was attacked and so am I but we go and then what? We turn to the rest of the house of vampires and say 'Oops. Sorry?'" Stefan said.

Elena sighed. "I can't believe you made a deal with her."

"It was more like a helpful exchange of information and it's not like I had a choice. She's… scary. Besides she's going to help me get Katherine back.

Scarlett and Stefan watched as Elena and Damon started bickering about Damon and how selfish he was and eventually it turned to what was really bothering Elena. The fact that Damon turned Elena's birth mother Isobel into a vampire. Scarlett personally didn't see why Elena was so annoyed at this, at least she wasn't dead unlike Great Grandpa Joseph or Uncle Zach. But then again Elena was a Gilbert and they had a tendency or rather a flair of being overdramatic. "Please, do something about this…" Scarlett murmured.

Nodding Stefan stepped in. "This isn't being very productive, we're going to figure out a way to deal with Pearl and the vampires… Yeah?"

"Sure, whatever… " Scarlett murmured as waved her good hand in a frivolous manner and walked out of the library, she could feel those pain killers starting to kick in so she went back into the living room and ended up sitting down on the floor leaning against the wall with her eyes shut. God those pills were strong as even with her eyes shut Scarlett felt very weird but oddly not in that much pain anymore. Scarlett was sitting there for god knows how long, all she knew was that she'd fall back asleep at the rate that she was at until she felt a gentle shake of her knee.

"Scarlett?" Wearily opening one of her eyes Scarlett looked to see that it was Stefan, who was kneeling down and looking at her with a rather concerned look on his face. "You okay? You don't look too good kiddo…"

"Those pain meds are kicking in and I feel really drowsy and I was going to take a nap but everything was starting to get hazy and spiny so I sat down and I just don't know…" Scarlett quietly murmured.

"You need some fresh air, here… take my hand, I'm going into the woods to do some hunting so we can walk together for a bit until you fell a bit better…" Stefan said holding his hand out to Scarlett and after a moment she took his hand and the two of them both stood up. Stefan had to help Scarlett into her jacket and adjust her sling for her and after grabbing an umbrella the two of them set out for their little walk in the woods. "Are you in a lot of pain?"

"Yeah, I guess… it's weird to explain. The pain is kind of constant but the medication is good when it's not making me feel drowsy but then I'm trying to adjust to it all, the whole keeping my arm still and not move it is more difficult than I first thought… it's my right arm which means I can't write and I definitely can't drive. Took me twice as long to get dressed then it usually does. Pain is a bit of an understatement…" Scarlett wearily replied.

"Well you know Damon and I are here for you and when I say Damon and I we both know I really mean myself. Whatever you need, don't be afraid to ask." Stefan joked and the two of them laughed. This walk through the woods was starting to do Scarlett some good as her mind was starting to become clearer.

"Uncle Damon's not too bad, you just have to look behind the sarcasm, narcissism, arrogance and cold exterior that he surrounds himself with…" Scarlett began until she noticed Stefan stopping in his tracks. "Uncle Stefan?"

"Stay very still Scarlett, someone's here…"

Looking around there was nothing to suggest that anything was wrong but then Scarlett saw something from the corner of her eye and then Scarlett blinked. It couldn't have been a millisecond but then three men no doubt vampires suddenly surrounded them and one of them Scarlett recognized as the intruder from last night and she could only watch as he stabbed Stefan in the chest. As she watched her Uncle fall to the ground Scarlett took a few steps back until she bumped into something and saw it was the two other vampires.

"Well, well… I try to hunt down one little Salvatore to capture and lo and behold I catch two."

That was the last thing Scarlett remembered.

When she finally woke up Scarlett had to blink several times for her eyes to focus and even then everything was still mystery to her, she was in some kind of basement which was cluttered with an assortment of stuff but as Scarlett gazed around she saw Stefan with his hands tied up and hanging a pole, screaming in pain as a man used a knife to cut deep within his chest. "Uncle Stefan…"

"Well it looks like sleeping beauty is finally awake." The vampire from last night said as he made his way over to Scarlett and ripped her sling off her arm. "The littlest Salvatore, a tiny pathetic human girl…

"Fredrick she's just a kid! A human kid!" The African American vampire said.

"She's a Salvatore Harper! We're getting our revenge on him and the girl then the brother and anyone else that get's in our way." Fredrick yelled as he lifted his foot and kicked Scarlett squarely in her shoulder and she screamed out in pain at the impact as the pain medication she had taken earlier had worn off and her shoulder had just been dislocated yet again in under twenty four hours.

"This isn't right!" the vampire named Harper yelled out as he grabbed Fredrick and Scarlett gripped her arm and supported it as best she could whilst quietly sobbing.

"You're gonna want to let go of me!" Fredrick yelled.

Harper shook his head. "Miss Pearl will be home soon."

"Miss Pearl is no longer in charge." Fredrick said before turning to the other vampires in the room and motioning to them to go after Harper. "Tie him up! And then stake him down! Then we're going to make the two Salvatore's watch as torture each of them, make them plead for their life until they beg and then we'll kill them."

It seemed like whoever this vampire Fredrick was really had it for her because it soon became apparent to Scarlett that she was probably going to die in this room. Scarlett was convinced she was going to pass out from the pain because she had been slapped god knows how many times when she shut her eyes when Fredrick continued to torture Stefan with vervain and she couldn't bare too watch it anymore. Stefan on the other hand seemed to be doing a lot better in certain terms, provoking Fredrick in order to distract them from hurting her again and using her injured arm to inflict as much pain on her as possible. Time seemed to go slowly until something distracted Fredrick and he and the other's left.

-"S-Scarlett… Are you okay?" Stefan asked breathing in heavily and Scarlett just nodded as she was in too much pain to do anything else and after that Stefan turned his attention to Harper. "Uhh… Thank you for trying to help us."

"They just needed somebody to blame, someone to punish." Harper said in an attempt to explain only to be interrupted when the cellar door opened and in walked Damon and Elena.

"Elena… You shouldn't be here…" Stefan murmured.

"She was supposed to stay in the car." Damon replied as he made his way to kill Harper with one stake to the heart.

"Unh! No… No. No. Not him…" Scarlet wearily said.

"Jesus Red, look at you…" Damon said as he crouched down beside Scarlett and let his fingers touch her cheek before his eyes noticed her sling a couple of yards away and then his eyes quickly darted over to her arm and then Damon looked at her. Scarlett could tell by the look in his eyes that he realized what they had done. "I-I'm gonna kill every single person in this house, don't you worry but first we got to deal with you and your arm again."

"H-Help U-Uncle Stefan first, I'm fine…" Scarlett lied trying her hardest not to bite down on her lip and make it obvious how much pain she was currently in at the moment. Stefan had taken the brunt of it and so Scarlett knew he was worse off than her.

"Okay…" Damon said after a moment and he and Elena then proceeded to release Stefan from the ropes that he had been bond with that just so happened to contain vervain. They even released Harper before Damon turned to Elena who was helping Stefan to stand. "Can you get him to the car?"

"Yeah." Elena replied.

"All right, go." Damon stated.

"What about you?"

"You rescue, I'll distract now go." Damon said and after a few moments Elena and Stefan left the room and Damon made his way back over to Scarlett and took her good hand in his and squeezed it. "Red I am going to have to pop your arm back in, it's going to hurt more than it did at the hospital but I'll be as gentle as I can but you have to be quiet."

"I know, just do it." Scarlett quietly replied.

I'll do it on 3, so 1….2." Damon began but after he had said two he moved so fast and popped Scarlett's arm back in but it wasn't quick enough as Scarlett was in a excruciating amount of pain and ended up causing her lip to bleed as she bit down on it in order to stop screaming. After that Damon slid the sling back over Scarlett and secured her arm once again. "Red can you walk?"

Scarlett feebly nodded as she took several deep r. "Yeah, I just need a moment tosort myself out."

"Okay, I need to go deal with these other vampires so you need to get of here quickly, get to the door and at the bottom of the road is my car, Elena and Stefan should be there already." Damon told.

"F-Fre…" Scarlett began. "Fredrick…"

"Fredrick?"

"H-He's the one reasonable, the one who attacked us here and at the house." Scarlett explained and nodding Damon left to go upstairs. It took Scarlett a few minutes to gather her strength but when she did Scarlett manage to get out of the cellar and back up into the house where things went to fast for her to understand. The only thing she could remember was stumbling into Damon and Mr. Saltzman in all the confusion and then Scarlett's legs gave way

"Red…"

"I've got her." Mr. Saltzman said scooping Scarlett up and wrapping her left arm around his neck to carry her and to avoid her bad shoulder. Scarlett seemed to become more alert the less energy she used and as the three of them went to the door two female vampire both walked in; Anna and Pearl.

"What's going on here? What did you do?" Pearl demanded to know.

"Me? Your merry little band of vampires spent the day torturing my brother and my human niece… Take a look at her, that Fredrick guy dislocated the shoulder that his little female dislocated for my niece only yesterday. My niece did not look like this until your little coven started going wild." Damon said in a scathing tone of voice.

"Trust me the parties responsible for this will be dealt with…"

Scarlett zoned out after this and the next time she 'zoned' in she was back in her room at the boarding house lying on her bed and Damon was sitting at the bottom of the bed. When he noticed that she was awake he handed over two pills to Scarlett which she gratefully took. "Uncle Damon…"

"You need to get some rest kiddo, once you and Stefan are feeling better than we'll talk about what happened. But right now you look like need some sleep Red." Damon warned.

"I thought I was going to die today. I thought both Uncle Stefan and I were going to be killed but you came and you saved us. So thank you Uncle Damon." Scarlett said and pain meds ot no pain meds it was probably the most sincerest thing that she had ever said in her entire life and it was most likely true as Scarlett preferred sarcasm to sincerity

"It's what I'm here for Red…"


	41. Chapter 41

Scarlett lay on her bed idly relaxing due to the busted lip and several bruises not to mention the re dislocated arm she received at the hands of Fredrick in the cellar, Stefan and Damon thought it would be best if Scarlett took a week or so off to recover from the whole ordeal not to mention people would start asking questions about all of her injuries given that this was Mystic Falls and there was nothing that everyone in this town loved to do than gossip. So the story was that she was mugged when she went shopping out of town, Elena and Stefan had quietly dropped the news and ever so slightly it would get through town. So Scarlett was currently incognito and as far away from any kind of problems. Although it didn't mean that there wasn't any as that same day Caroline somehow managed to stumble and find Vicki's dead body which Damon had hidden months ago. Scarlett would have freaked out about it and would have yelled at Damon but the guy had saved her life.

"Hey…How are you doing?" Stefan questioned as he stood in the doorway of Scarlett's bedroom door with the ever faithful Lucrezia skulking around his ankle.

"Sore and even more sore, then I take the painkillers and then it's just sore, but what about you Uncle Stefan? You got it a lot worse than me so how are you doing?" Scarlett questioned given that whilst she was tortured by Fredrick, Stefan was the one who had been tortured with vervain, stabbed repeatedly with wooden stake and sliced up with a knife.

"Good. Upside of being a vampire is that you heal rather quickly." Stefan quipped.

"Lucky you." Scarlett smiled as she eyed the scotch in Stefan's hand, he had been drinking a lot more than he usually did and was drinking about a good dozen glasses a day. It was strange and very much unlike Stefan and Scarlett wasn't sure what was going on but for now she'd go along with it. The two of them sat there in a comfortable silence until Damon walked strolled into the room and the look that he gave Stefan was bizarre which caused Stefan to leave the room. "Problem?" Scarlett asked sensing some weird vibe coming from Damon and Stefan.

"Not at all." Damon said before moving the conversation in a different direction. "Question Red, what do you know about John Gilbert?"

Scarlett frowned, that was a name she wasn't expecting to hear nor was it one she liked. "Well the guy's not liked I'll tell you that in fact he's practically hated here although we pretend otherwise to his gace, he's a Gilbert so he comes with the inflated ego, holier than thou attitude but then there is a John. Quite simply the man is a total and utter bastard but guessing by the fact that you've brought him up I'm guessing that the town's not so favourite son is back."

"Got it in one, made it back in time for the start of the month long celebration of the towns founding but it turns outs the prodigal son has quite a bit of secrets up his sleeve, he knows about us and what happened in 1864, Katherine and get this the ring that Alaric Saltzman has used to belong to him. Turns out John the not so innocent Gilbert gave his ring to Isobel and took his brother's when the elder Gilbert died. I fount that out when I killed him. But he also sent Isobel to find me when she wanted to become a vampire…"

"Wow, mindfuck…" Scarlett murmured as that news was shocking to say the least because the last time John Gilbert was in town was for his brother's funeral and even then he didn't stick around long. But what Scarlett was more annoyed about than the fact another Gilbert was in town was the celebrations to commemorate 150 years since Mystic Falls was founded and given that Scarlett was from one of the founding families she was expected to participate much to her displeasure. Made having a dislocated shoulder more appealing as Scarlett could use that as an excuse not to take part.

"My thoughts exactly… He's up to something and he's alerted the town to the fact that there are more vampires in town so now they're back into vampire mode." Damon noted.

"Damon you've just met the guy and your convinced that he's up to something, I don't like John myself but your starting to become a tad bit paranoid." Scarlett said with a small roll of her eyes.

"Told me he wanted to eradicate the vampires in town just like they tried to do in 1864. Trust me Red, John Gilbert coming back to town isn't good, the man is up to something and it's not going to be good for any of us. And given that he's Elena's uncle and hates vampires he's going to be keeping a close eye on us given his niece is dating a vampire." Damon explained as he sat down on the edge of Scarlett's bed.

"Oh…" Scarlett said it seemed like Damon did have a point with this whole paranoia thing. "What are we going to do?"

"Well I can't kill him so I don't exactly know but I'll figure something out."

Scarlett nodded her head before taking a deep breath, she needed to get this off her chest but she wasn't sure how to go about it as Damon could be very funny and particular when it come to certain matters. "Uncle Damon can I talk to you about something serious and you won't be a complete and utter asshole about it?"

"Maybe, I can't guarantee anything because this is me Red."

Knowing that was as good as she was going to get Scarlett wearily nodded. "I'm worried about Uncle Stefan, he's been acting really weird recently ever since the whole torture thing and he's been drinking a lot more than usual. At first I thought I was over thinking things and making a big deal out of nothing but I don't think I am…"

"Relax Red, I think your going cuckoo being cooped up in here all day long. Stefan is fine it's that diet of his; all that bunny blood isn't good for him. After what the two you went through and the stuff with vervain he needed people blood not bunny blood. He'll be fine just give him time, you know how sensitive he is…"

Scarlett wasn't sure about this, in fact she was certain that Damon was telling her that just to appease her because there was something was definitely wrong with Stefan and it was becoming even more apparent as the days went pass and Damon's causal denial about had just made her even more convinced that something was going on here.


	42. Chapter 42

_Hey all! manged to get a quick chapter in but bad news i won't get internet until late august but i'm going to keep writing and go to the library to use the wi-fi to post the chapters. This will be the only chapter of the week i think as i have to resit an exam on friday which i really need to buckle down for but after that we are golden, so just bare with me!  
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"You're looking awfully smug with yourself Donovan." Scarlett said in bemusement as she watched Matt who wad been walking around looking like the cat who ate the canary grin on his face for the majority of their shift and at first Scarlett was glad to see that Matt was happy and moving on with his life given the whole Vicki thing but after while it was just very weird. He was too happy and as far as Scarlett knew Matt wasn't high or on the happy pills.

"I knew I was right about you Salvatore, there is more to you that meets the eye but never did I think that you'd do something like this." Matt said as he put his tray of dirty dishes down and joined Scarlett who was sitting at the bar.

"And what have I done now?" Scarlett quipped as she took a sip of her ice tea.

"I've heard you rant and rave about how much you hate being this whole month of events celebrating the town and how you hate the other founding families but never did I think you Scarlett Salvatore would sigh up for the founders court… You Miss Mystic Falls? That's a good one."

Spitting out her ice tea in shook Scarlet looked at moment for a minute before pulling herself together. She must be over working herself again despite the fact even though her arm was out the sling she couldn't go back to work yet because that was the only explanation for why she swore that she had heard Matt say to her that she had signed up for the founders court. "Matthew what are you talking about? I never sighed up for the founder's court, I would never sign up for some stupid and pretentious event like the Miss Mystic Falls Pageant. I don't do founders events, so if this is some dumb prank please just stop it now."

"Scarlett this isn't some prank, at least not by me but your name was on that list, they announced it today at school…" Matt began.

"I didn't put my name on that list, I never sighed up for that stupid pageant so who put my name down…" Scarlett wondered out loud as her eyes scanned across the grill until she spotted the most likely suspect making their way out of the grill with their spouse and Scarlett slowly rose out of her chair and attempted to follow them until Matt blocked her path.

"Don't do it Scarlett, you'll regret it…" Matt warned.

"No I won't." Scarlett angrily stated as she slipped past Matt and made her way out of the grill and she had to look around before she spotted who she was looking for and she had to run across the road over to the square in order to catch up with them. "Mrs Lockwood!"

"Oh Scarlett, how nice to see you…" Mrs. Lockwood began and Scarlett just rolled her eyes, as soon as Scarlett saw her in the grill she knew who signed her up for that stupid pageant, as Mrs. Lockwood was the one in charge of these stupid events, now Scarlett knew that this pageant was really a competition between the daughters of the founding families but as to seem fair one poor girl who wasn't from the founding families was chosen to take part too.

"Cut the false pretence and the bullshit Mrs. Lockwood, I know you sighed me up for the founders court despite you being fully aware about my feelings towards any founders events…" Scarlett angrily stated.

"Scarlett." Mr. Lockwood began clearly not happy about how his wife was being talked to but like there was anything he could do, Mayor Lockwood was the biggest prat in town next to his stupid son of course. In fact his entire family were all complete idiots and always had been according to what Damon had told her about the Lockwood's in his day. Scarlett was glad to see nothing changed although she wished the Lockwood's would just disappear into oblivion.

"Shut up Mayor Lockwood! This is between me and your wife!" Scarlett snapped, turning her attentions away from the Mayor and back onto his wife.

"So you've heard about the founders court, I was going to tell you in person Scarlett but after your recent attack I thought it be best to not tell you until you fully recovered. I was going to tell you in person, I didn't mean for you to find out in whatever manner that you did find out." Mrs. Lockwood explained.

"Spare the fake sincerity Carol, you were never going to tell me so just take my name off the damn list and I'll leave it there this time because I'm not taking part in yours and the rest of this towns stupid little beauty pagent so find yourself another girl to dress up and parade around like she's Mary Lou Freebush and all she wants is world peace because I'm not doing this!" Scarlett hissed, it was lucky for Mrs. Lockwood that Scarlett was trying to stay as calm as she could as to avoid another heart palpation otherwise she would have taken the full extent of her anger over being signed up for a founders event against her will out on Mrs. Lockwood and Scarlett's temper was infamous in Mystic Falls.

"But you're a daughter from the founding families, the only daughter from the Salvatore line… Scarlett you have to take part…" Mrs. Lockwood spluttered.

"How many times to I have to tell you to piss off with your stupid founder events?" Scarlett demanded. "I made it perfectly clear to you years ago that I was not interested in any of these founders events and no matter how many times you sign me up for them I will not take part! How many more times do I have to tell you before you finally get it through your head Mrs. Lockwood!"

"Scarlett… everyone staring!" A voice hissed in Scarlett's ear and she looked to see that it was Matt there and that people were staring not that Scarlett cared in the slightest. Everyone thought she was a weirdo anyway so it made no difference to her. Although he look of embarrassment on Mrs. Lockwood's face gave Scarlett a beyond brilliant idea and wicked smile graced her face.

"You know what? I changed my mind I think I am going to take part after all… You wanted me to take part Mrs. Lockwood so I'll take part…"


	43. Chapter 43

_my exam is over and i can use internet at the library so i can update even more now! anyway thanks for all the reviews as usual as it means a lot and i know that your all waiting for the big moment when Scarlett and Katherine finally meet, i'm tyring for chapter 45 so expect chapter 44 and 45 to be long ones! and i promise you i will try and do you all and Scarlett justice because when you meet the person whose responsible for screwing up your entire life it's not exactly be tea and biscuits and given who Scarlett is, nothing she does tends to be quiet in the slightest! Also i've noticed that some of you have stumbled across some of my other accounts on here - the main one being happyalvin and liked my other stories and it actually made me laugh how you've probably unwillingly found it i.e sez22, SomebodyWhoCares and SarahSalvatore97 - sorry if i left anyone out! But anyway i have a couple of vampire diaries on my happyalvin account so go check them out if you want, i'd also recommend a story called The Ballad of Madeline Olsen and lastly as always, enjoy xx  
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Agreeing to take part in the founders court just may have been the best idea that Scarlett had ever come up with and the best thing was it made it so much easier to wind Mrs. Lockwood up. Such as not showing up for the dress or dance rehearsals and not returning any of her insistent calls to the house, Scarlett was putting a huge damper of the whole event without actually doing anything which made her happy. But not as happy as Scarlett currently was now, the whole dog and pony show was about to start in ten minutes and not only wasn't Scarlett dressed but she was sitting down with her feet up on a dressing table eating grapes off her chest. Off in her own little world Scarlett didn't hear the knock on the door until after the door had been opened and shut, looking through the reflection in the mirror Scarlett saw that it was Carol Lockwood.

"Just came to see how you were getting on, all the other girls are ready… Oh Scarlett your not even dressed yet!" Mrs. Lockwood said with a sigh as she just walked further into the room and closing her eyes, Scarlett leant her head back and just giggled like a school child.

"Whateverrrrr." Scarlett quipped

"Are you stoned?!" Mrs. Lockwood demanded in shock after she made her way to Scarlett and given the look on her face even Scarlett in her slightly altered state could see she wasn't happy which just made this whole entire thing hilarious.

"Not anymore but I was an hour ago, now I'm just hungry and slightly intoxicated but re-relaxxx Carol, I'm only just beginning… the fin, I m-mean the fun is yet to come!" Scarlett said as popped another grape into her mouth and leant back into her chair and let out a small giggle. Mrs. Lockwood just stormed out of the room in shock which caused Scarlett to laugh yet again and resume her very hard and serious duty of eating grapes off her chest.

"…Care to explain why Carol Lockwood is freaking out on me Red? She just came over to me in a hysterical state claiming that you're as high as a damn kite!" Came the voice of Damon and Scarlett looked at him briefly before turning her attention to the grape she could have sworn she had left in between her breasts but had now vanished. That was until Damon grabbed her chin and forced Scarlett to look at him. "You are high!"

"Correction dear Uncle of mine, I was high… I am now coming down from that." Scarlett quipped slapping Damon on the cheeks in a happy manner before standing up off her chair and looking around for her dress bag until Damon took it off from the back of the door and handed it to her.

"So this is you giving Carol Lockwood and the rest of the founding families the bird? Taking it a bit too far…"

"No… I gave them the bird when I agreed to do this, today I'm sticking my two fingers out and saying up yours. They want to celebrate this towns dutiful founding daughters then I'll show them, something…" Scarlett said pausing to rub her head momentarily.

"Get yourself together Red!" Damon hissed

Although Scarlett hated to admit this Damon had a point, the whole getting high thing was a part of her plan to send Mrs. Lockwood slowly over the edge but not part of her grand master plan so Scarlett somehow managed to get herself together which basically only involved putting on her dress. Now given that Scarlett was not going about things quietly, as she wanted to be in a pain in the ass to Mrs Lockwood she had acquired a dress that was sure to grab people's attention. Naturally it was a red but it was a silk dress with a low open back with a deep v-neck front that Scarlett knew would cause Mrs. Lockwood to flip her lid.

"Scarlett your name is about to be called…" Mrs Lockwood began before her jaw dropped in shock as Scarlett walked out of the room. Her face was priceless, it made Scarlett wish that she had a camera on her.

"I see you like my dress Mrs. Lockwood, I picked it out with you in mind!"

"Miss Scarlett Salvatore escorted by Adam Calloway." Mayor Lockwood called out and grinning at Mrs. Lockwood Scarlett began making her big fancy descent down the stairs trying her best to contain her laughter and her cravings for onion rings. Once they got downstairs, it got to great master plan as Carol Lockwood expected Scarlett to mess things up so she did the opposite. Despite the fact that she didn't turn up to any of the dance lessons/rehearsals Scarlett knew it perfectly given that Damon and Stefan were around when the dance was invented so they were the perfect tutors. So she nailed it in one although she was rather distracted by the fact that Damon was escorting Elena instead of Stefan.

Once the dance was over Scarlett set about the small details of her diabolical plan which involved pigging out on food to fill her constantly hungry tummy and to spike the punch bowl of course. Just saying that made Scarlett realize how more alike Damon she was getting as everyday passed and normally that would have disturbed her but now when she was spiking the punch with the flask of vodka she had brought along with her.

"What are you doing Miss Salvatore!"

"Whoops…." Scarlett said with a shrug of her shoulder as she tipped the rest of the flasks contents into the punch bowl. Her bad.

"Is that all you have to say for yourself young lady is whoops?" Mrs. Lockwood demanded.

Scarlett snickered as she tossed the flask on the table and proceeded to go eat again, smoking that pot so early in the day was making her exceeding hungry yet more calm and relaxed then she had been for god knows how long. She ended up missing the rest of the pagent but like Scarlett cared as she knew even before all the stunts she had been pulling she was never going to win. "That dress is shocking inappropriate for such a prestigious event like this, all you need is a sign around your neck saying how much you charge."

"Thank you, I've always wanted to be called a hooker." Scarlett quipped as Damon crept out from whatever corner he had been lurking in. "Where's Uncle Stefan? I haven't seen him all day and he promised me he'd help me with filling the Lockwood's tires with whip cream…"

"Couldn't tell Red, I haven't seen him all day."

Scarlett was interrupted before she had even opened her mouth to reply by the dick dastardly of Mystic Falls himself; John Gilbert. "Scarlett… it's good to see you again. Do you mind if I borrow Damon for a moment."

"Sure, just bring him back will you Gilbert? Rather fond of the man." Scarlett said with a small narrow of her eyes before motioning for the two men to leave and once they did, she began wondering the halls of the founder's hall until she came across Elena. "Miss Gilbert, you look lovely today…"

"As do you Miss Salvatore…"

"So where's that boyfriend of yours then? I haven't Stefan all day which is rather unusual for him but then again he's been acting awfully out of character lately..." Scarlett questioned.

"I'm not exactly sure Scarlett as I haven't seen him since earlier today before he disappeared but I'm worried him too, with him feeding on human blood and hiding it from everyone for the past month it's like he's becoming a different person." Elena quietly.

"Human blood? Stefan?" Scarlett questioned, not sure whether or not she was hearing things currently. "What on earth are you talking about Elena? Stefan is strictly on the vegetarian diet and only does the white meat i.e rabbits and squirrels and not the red meat variety of humans."

"You didn't know…" Elena murmured.

"Know what exactly because it seems like I'm missing out on a huge piece of the story here?"

"When the tomb vampires took you and Stefan, he was pretty banged up and so I gave him my blood and we all thought he was fine but according to Damon apparently since then Stefan has been feeding off human blood again, stealing from local blood banks and hospitals…" Elena revealed and this was a huge knock to Scarlett as not only did she have a feeling that something was going on but both Damon and Stefan had lied to her and said everything was fine. But then there was also Stefan's history, certain vampires didn't get called 'rippers' for biting humans and being on their way.

"Oh my…" Scarlett said with as sigh and running her hands through her hair until she caught sight of Damon returning from wherever he disappeared to with John Gilbert. She'd deal with him lying to her and the Stefan thing once they found Stefan but first she wanted to know what was going on between Damon and John junior. "Was it? What did John want?"

"There were signs of a struggle in the upstairs bathroom, there was blood and that Amber girl is missing…" Damon said and Scarlett was certain all that food she had consumed was going to make a reappearance soon.

"Oh my god! He wouldn't hurt her! He won't!" Elena determinedly stated but Damon and Scarlett just looked at each other uneasily.

"Let's just find him, okay? Let's get your coats and come one!" Damon said ushering them back upstairs where Scarlett and Elena both grabbed the coats before making their way outside of the founders hall where not far from them, maybe a hundred years away there was two figures in the woods before a scream came from that direction. Running over Scarlett was stunned and shocked to see Stefan clamping his fangs into Amber's neck.

"Stefan!" Elena yelled.

For some reason this seemed to work as Scarlett watched as Stefan let Amber and she fell to the floor and Damon took a few steps towards Damon whilst pushing both Scarlett and Elena back. "Stefan, come on get control! It's okay, come on. Breathe through it man."

Apparently human feeding Stefan isn't as obedient as animal blood Stefan as he grabbed Stefan and threw him against a tree and Damon scrambled to get back up. "Uncle Stefan stop it!" Scarlett yelled and the suddenly Stefan started clutching his head as if he was in agony for reasons that Scarlett didn't understand until she saw Bonnie.

"It's okay Stefan…" Damon assured his brother once Bonnie had let up with whatever spell she was doing unfortunately Stefan chose to take off instead, leaving the rest of them to deal with the mess that involved getting the Sheriff and laying about what really happened. And once it was all over Scarlett was more than happy to go home but first she had to go get changed and get her head together. The pot had messed with it slightly but everything that had gone down today and what she had found out only made it even worse.

When Scarlett finally got home, she dumped her bags in the living room and started to make her way towards the stairs so she could go to her bedroom until she saw the door leading to the basement open. It had been shut when she left which meant someone was down there, Scarlett slowly made her way towards the door and took a deep breath, the last time she had been down there was the day Zach died. Taking a slow and easy step Scarlett made her way into the basement and followed the lights until she saw Damon and Elena sitting on the floor. "We… I injected Stefan with some vervain, we're going to help him get better." Elena explained.

Scarlett didn't respond to this instead, she turned to Damon. "We need to talk. Upstairs, now. Just the two of us."

"Okay." Damon replied as he got up from the basement floor and followed Scarlett back upstairs to the living room. "So what is it Red?"

At first she didn't say anything but then Scarlett slapped Damon across the face as hard as she could. "You lying bastard! All this time you knew that Uncle Stefan was back on human blood and not once did you think to mention it to me? I told you I was worried about him and you lied to my face and told me he was fine!"

"Red, I didn't want to bother you given what you had gone through in the basement of the tomb vampires little hideout. I also didn't tell you what was going on because you're the kid and I'm the adult here!" Damon replied.

"So you thought it was okay to tell Elena? I'm family Uncle Damon! I am yours and Uncle Stefan's niece and Elena is just Uncle Stefan's kid girlfriend yet somehow she manages to trump me when it comes to matters like these, are you being serious?" Scarlett angrily stated. "You tell one kid but not the other? That's rather hypocritical of you…"

"Do we really have to do this now?" Damon questioned.

"Yeah we do because you have the nerve to stand here in my house and lie to me not to mention call me a kid when I am more of an adult than you will ever be! So yeah we're doing this now as it's not like Uncle Stefan is going anywhere!"

"You want to talk about being an adult? You're the one who was high only hours ago so you could piss off Carol Lockwood because of your founding families issues!" Damon pointed out. "Which just proves I was right about not telling you because you are still a kid Scarlett!"

"I've never been a kid Uncle Damon! Because being a kid means having a childhood and that's one thing I never had! Instead of being like any normal little girls I grew learning about vampires, being read the family journals as bedtime stories! Then the fact that I was related to two vampires who liked to drop in occasionally! My mother walked out when I was three and then my father killed himself when I was eight! That was the day I lost any possible hopes of a childhood!" Scarlett retorted.

"Scarlett…" Damon began.

"I was diagnosed with a heart condition that at the rate it's going will someday kill me, which may just be a good thing! I never had friends in school and everyone in this town whispered behind my back and in front of me about my cowardly dad and how weird I was! But I tried to ignore them because I had to grow up and help out with the house! Help grow the vervain and pray like hell you and your brother wouldn't decide to drop by! Then I had to get a job to help pay the bills and then my worst fears came true when you showed up!" Scarlett screamed at Damon. "You killed Zach and that made me into the adult around here! Working a job, whilst going to school and keeping an eye on my two vampire uncles who do nothing except make my life a living hell and make me clean up their messes despite the fact that because of them I never got to be normal! So don't you dare stand here in my house and tell me that I'm a kid as because of you I never got to be one!"


	44. Chapter 44

Things at the Salvatore house were awkward to say the least and had been for days after Scarlett had blown up at Damon and given how the two of them were so alike in personality and mannerisms both Uncle and niece had taken to avoiding each other which suited them both fine. Neither of them was going to make the first move or apologize, so this whole avoiding thing was working out perfectly for both parties. Scarlett had gone to the grill to pick up her pay check and get something to eat to pass the time given that she couldn't go back to work yet and the less time she spent at home the better. "Hey Mr. Saltzman." Scarlett began as she saw her history teacher take a seat at the bar.

"Hey Scarlett… How are you doing since the whole vampire house incident? You took quite a beating and since it happened I haven't thought to ask but I see that you're finally out of the sling."

"I'm good Mr. Saltzman, I have a couple of weeks left of physio and most of the bruises have faded or can be concealed with make up but I'm generally good. I'm used to all of this so it's not much of a big deal to me, well I don't get beaten up by vampires everyday but you get my point..." Scarlett replied casually.

"Can I ask you something Scarlett? You seem so unfazed about all of this and what's happened to you and everyone else in this town I guess I just need you to explain it to me a bit further. I know you told me that you've known about Damon and Stefan not to mention this town's history with their kind since you were born and I'm just amazed in a way… It's just that you're so young, you and Elena should be out enjoying and living your lives instead of dealing with all of this and you do with such calmness. So I guess my question is how do you do it?"

"I can't speak for Elena but for me? This is all I've ever known, I grew up learning about vampires and the secrets that this town keeps… Hell i knew how to kill a vampire before I could ride a bike without stabilizers so I consider all of this to be normalcy as disturbing as that sound but I'm a Salvatore and knowing and keeping the secret about Damon and Stefan is what we do. It's what we've been doing for almost a hundred and forty six years."

"So your family allowed you into this life? I don't mean to be rude but…" Mr. Saltzman began.

"No offense taken and I get where your coming from, I mean no one wants to be involved with any of this willingly but I've got two idiots at home who fell for a vampire in disguise almost a century and a half ago and it messed everything up… With this situation I'm in, it wasn't really a choice as it's been passed down through the generations and my father passed it onto me just like it was passed down to him and his brother. They were good people Mr. Saltzman, it's just that this thing has been part of the family for so long that you don't second guess it, and you just do what you have to do. If my father had a choice in this, I doubt he would have taught me but I guess he wanted me to know, to be prepared instead of living in ignorance like most of this town." Scarlett explained.

"I guess that makes sense…"

"So what about you? Last couple of weeks must have been very weird for you… and knowing this town I wouldn't count on any of that changing anytime soon. This town my look normal on the outside but it's actually the furthest thing from normal."

Mr. Saltzman wearily laughed. "My wife who I thought was dead is actually a vampire who was turned by Damon and is the birth mother of one of my students. None of that was exactly what I was looking to find when I came to Mystic Falls."

"I get it… well not the whole wife thing or the Elena situation but the being related to vampires and Damon killing someone you love. He killed my great grandfather fifty years ago, he also killed my Uncle Zach a few months back, then my dad hung himself in our living room when I was a kid because Stefan had come to visit and the idea of Damon coming home scared him that much that… Well you get the gist and now I live under the same roof as the man who every single member of my family has been scared of."

"But not you." Alaric noted.

"Not me." Scarlett affirmed and she couldn't help but smirk ever so slightly at this. "Until September I had never met Damon before, heard of him yes but never actually met him. I stopped being scared of him the day he promised not to kill me."

"And you believe him?" Alaric sceptically asked.

"With a track record like Damon's it's hard to take his word or believe anything he says but as much as Damon loves killing relatives, I like living and he needs me to stay alive." Scarlett started to explain. "I'm the last living Salvatore and so Damon needs me to continue the family line, which is very ironic given that he's the reason that our numbers have been dwindling in the first place, oh and Stefan too…"

"How he's doing? Stefan, I mean… Damon told me about trying to get him off human blood."

Scarlett shrugged her shoulders. "Don't know and despite the fact that I should care, I don't. He can spend the rest of his life locked up where he is and it wouldn't bother me. I made it perfectly clear to Stefan when he came back home that him feeding on humans would not be tolerated. He promised me he wouldn't and he broke that promise…"

"You can't honestly mean that Scarlett?" Alaric asked.

"With the things I know Mr. Saltzman I do mean it and blood only runs so deep when you're related to vampires… Anyway I've got to run, as much as I've avoided this I've got to go home and make sure that the inmates aren't running the asylum so I'll see you around Mr. Saltzman." Scarlett said as she picked up her wage slip from the bar and made her way out of the grill and back into the lion's den.

Despite her talk with Mr. Saltzman, Scarlett did not feel any apathy towards either of her uncles and when she went home for the evening she went straight upstairs to her room and climbed straight into bed as to avoid them both. And the next morning Scarlett got the surprise of her life when she saw Stefan in the living room walking freely, meaning that he had been let out of the basement. And Scarlett wasn't exactly sure what to make of these new events so instead she just chose to stare at Stefan for a good five minutes because for one of the very few times in her entire life, one Scarlett Elizabeth Anne Salvatore was speechless. Clearly Stefan knew not to say anything, which was a good thing because Scarlett was certain that she would have blown an aneurysm if he had spoken, as she was _that_ angry. That was until Damon waltzed into the room. "Red…"

Not even ready to even address her two morons that were here her uncles Scarlett held up her hand, which told the two of them to don't attempt to talk to her in the slightest. She had no interest in what the two of them had to say to her. "Let's see what new name I can come up with for dumb and dumber, how about the Brothers Grimm? Hmm… that's too easy, The Three Stooges? No, that doesn't work because your brother is dead and by dead I mean actually dead and buried six feet under… There's Thing 1 and Thing 2, Cock and Balls, then I could name you Penis and Vagina but it would be insulting to myself and women everywhere to call one of you morons a vagina so I won't… Now let's see Blair and Bush? Mario and Luigi? The Blood Brothers, that has a nice ring to it but no. I think I'll stick with dumb and dumber. It's a timeless classic and emphasis my point without any further explanation."

"You're pissed, clearly." Damon noted.

"No. I'm more than pissed, I'm premenstrual." Scarlett sarcastically stated glaring at Damon and Stefan with as much contempt as she could muster.

"… Scarlett."

"What? So the big bad ripper decides to finally speak? Well it's too bad because I don't want to hear a word you've got to say because I am done with the two of you so I want you out of my damn house." Scarlett snapped before picking up her school bag and walking out the door before she finally blew a gasket.

But it turns out her already bad day was going to get worst because not only was Stefan back at school but Scarlett got pulled away from the whole float building business for the founders parade by Mr. Saltzman and taken back to his classroom where Stefan, Damon and Elena were. The newest crisis of the day was that Saltzman's wife and Elena's birth mother was back in town and corned Saltzman in the bar demanding a meeting with her daughter. That's all Scarlett heard before she finally walked out the room. She was taking a day off from other people's problems as her own problems were hard enough to deal with given what Dr. Parker had told her two days ago and the news wasn't exactly good.

"…Scarlett?"

Looking up from where she was sitting doing nothing Scarlett saw that it was Caroline and she just took a baited breath. "Yes Caroline?"

"I wanted to talk to you." Caroline began and Scarlett just raised on eyebrow and chose not to comment on the fact that she was already talking to her. "A-About the Miss Mystic Falls float."

"Forbes, I'm going to throw you a life jacket here as we both know that your into this crap and I'm not and I would rather die than get on that stupid float especially since you've decided on a gone with the wind theme and I hate that movie with a passion and before you ask I wasn't named after Scarlett O'Hara and I hate when people ask or make assumptions about that. And back to my original point, we all know given that my little display at the pageant that I'm not into this bullshit so I'm going to make your dreams come true and not take part in this rubbish. So just make up some dumb excuse and everyone will accept with no questions asked." Scarlett said flashing Caroline a dazzling bright smile that stunned Caroline to put it lightly and she nodded before walking off.

"Wow…"

Scarlett frowned as she saw Matt approach her with a smug smile on his face. "What's so funny now Matthew?"

"You Scarlett. You were being somewhat nice to Caroline and you don't even like her, in fact I've heard you rant for ten minutes at a time why you don't like her and now your being nice to Caroline." Matt began. "Has hell frozen over and I just don't know about it?"

"Trust me, normally I'd derive pleasure from being unpleasant to your girlfriend but I told you I'd make more of an effort with her for you and according to my doctor my blood pressure is through the roof which is apparently very bad for someone our age, so I'm kind of trying not to get worked up on anything minor. So I'm letting it slide for now until I get home and then my lid is going to really blow."

"Why?"

"My family are literally driving me crazy, I have never met two people more annoyingly irritating not to mention stress inducing parasite leeches than Damon and Stefan. I honestly don't know who or someone else in my family manage to piss off enough that I got saddle with those two morons as my relatives. The two of them are going to send me to early grave, that I'm certain of…"

"That bad?" Matt asked with a small chuckle.

"Who'd ya think is responsible for my blood pressure being so high? I haven't had a calm day since the two of them came home. Trust me if I could, I would kill them quicker than you could say Lizzie Borden." Scarlett huffed and Matt laughed given that he now understood Scarlett's whole recurring tie in joke with Lizzie Borden. "So yeah it is that bad, but enough about me… How are you doing? It's been about me the last couple of weeks that I haven't asked about you."

"I'm okay. As bad as this sounds, I think I did the right thing asking my mom to leave because I can't be the one to take care of her just because she doesn't want to get her life together. I'm supposed to be the kid here, not here…" Matt explained and Scarlett nodded in understanding.

"I get it completely, I don't even want Damon and Stefan in the house anymore so you are preaching to the choir Matt… Before a few months ago I would have never believed that the two of us have a lot in common and we'd be friends who enjoy offloading our problems on each other and having pity parties during our shifts. You're a good friend Matt… You're my only friend, you do know that right?"

Matt looked at Scarlett in a puzzled manner. "That's not true Scarlett, you have other friends apart from me like Elena…"

"Elena doesn't count because she only became my friend because she's Stefan's girlfriend and my only other friends are my two cats. Don't give me that speech about how I'd have more friends if I tried because people in this town dislike me as much as I dislike them." Scarlett said and she must have looked sad or something because the next thing she knew Matt was putting an arm round her shoulders.

"So I'm like your best friend, right?" Matt questioned and it was clear by his face that he was quite happy at the prospect of it and Scarlett couldn't help but laugh. Matt Donovan was the closet thing to normalcy that she had in her life, the only true and human friend that she had ever and probably would have so yeah he was basically her best friend and Scarlett couldn't think of anyone else better for the job or that she'd want for the job.

"Yeah… Sure, you are my best friend Matthew Donovan and I'm afraid the job may be life and not just for Christmas." Scarlett quipped.

"Well that's fine by me because I'm not afraid to say that you're my best friend too Scarlett Salvatore no matter how weird and scary everyone thinks you are and you are as weird and scary as everyone thinks…" Matt replied and Scarlett just smirked, she may have dumb idiot vampires for uncles but she had a rock star of a best friend. Looked like the universe was handing her a life jacket for once instead of leaving her to try and stay a float herself. Scarlett couldn't help but wonder how long this would last. She couldn't help it. After everything that she had seen in her life, that had happened to her she was a pessimistic cynic.

Hours later Scarlett was at home feeling an odd sense of relief, she had spent most of her day relaxing and doing nothing which was nice for her and something that she had never really experienced before. Sitting in the 'other' living room in the boarding house – the one that had a television – Scarlett sat watching a movie, that was until she saw her two least favourite people in the world standing in the doorway watching her much to Scarlett's annoyance. "Take a picture, it's sure to last longer." Scarlett sourly stated.

"What are you doing Red?"

Scarlett paused the film and glanced away from the television to look at her Uncles before pointing towards the screen. "Can't you see I'm watching a film? I know it's a bit weird since they weren't around in your day but they've been around long enough that even the two of you know what they are."

"The lion king, seriously? You're watching this?" Damon questioned and Scarlett could feel a blood vessel in her neck threatening to burst. If somebody wasn't careful with what they said next, then things were going to start resembling the texas chainsaw massacre; mystic falls style pretty soon.

"Firstly it's a Disney film. They are timeless classics so you can shut up and secondly it's talking animals, so what's not to like? So if your quite done critiquing my film choices, the two of you can go away because I really don't want to deal or talk to either of you two and I think my health would concur with that statement."

"Why? Is something wrong?" Stefan asked.

"…I went to the doctors for my physio session and I ran into to Dr. Parker who wanted to have me checked out, see how my heart is doing and before we got to that he took my blood pressure and no surprise it's through the roof…" Scarlett spat. "Which supports my statement that the two of you are going to send me to an early grave…"

Damon sighed as he took a couple of steps further into the room towards Scarlett. "Your pissed Red, very much so and you have every reason to be because I know that we took everything away from you… I took everything from you, which is why I didn't tell you about Stefan because I wanted to protect you. You've had to grow up so much over the years Scarlett mostly because of things I've done so I wanted you to have some peace, to not worry about everything or everyone however short it lasted."

Taking a deep breath Scarlett stood up and poked Damon squarely in the chest several times. "We're a family. As hard as that concept is for you both to understand we are one or so I thought we were and you don't keep things from each other no matter how bad they are when you're a family…"

"I'm sorry Scarlett, I really am…" Stefan states.

"What's going on with this whole Isobel thing?" Scarlett said swiftly changing the subject.

"Same old. Wants Jonathan Gilbert's device and threatened to kill everyone Elena cares about if she didn't get it and so we gave it to her but Bonnie the teenaged witch removed the original spell from it so now it's useless so all's good in Mystic Falls again Red, until next week or whenever the next crisis comes up whichever comes first. Like I said same old stuff…4" Damon replied.

"This doesn't change anything or what I said this morning because I still want you both out of my house even more so than ever!"


	45. Chapter 45

_So here it is! the big bad forty-fifth chapter and let me just say it's no snooze fest and has a bit of everything in here. so this chapter signify's the end of season one and the start of season two! WOOP! it starts during founders day and end roughly half way between the return and yes Katherine is in this chapter and yes she and Scarlett will finally met and that's going to be... well you'll see, so enjoy xx  
_

* * *

Scarlett had that bad feeling again. The one she had the morning after her father had killed himself and more recently the day that Zach was killed. By now Scarlett knew to trust that guy feeling she had which meant that something was going to happen but she just didn't know what, yet but given that every time Scarlett had this feeling someone had died so the outlook was pretty bleak. Not to mention that it had been a family member. So taking a deep breath Scarlett made her way over to where Stefan and Damon were standing as Stefan got ready to board the Miss Mystic Falls Floats which Scarlett wasn't taking part.

"Well look who it is, I didn't think you were going to show up Red." Damon began.

Scarlett ignored Damon's statement because it was of no relevance to her in the slightest not to mention that it wasn't important as of this moment but yes she had unfortunately turned up to the stupid founders day parade as she was doing the whole supportive friend thing for Matt and according to Caroline the only way that Scarlett could get out of taking part in the parade and the float was if she took pictures of the event instead. So here she was armed with her camera but right now that wasn't important. What mattered was why she came over to speak to Damon and Stefan "I have this feeling…"

"So your not the cold heart ice queen that everyone thinks you are?" Damon quipped and rolling her Scarlett just punched in him in the shoulder, as he comment was so unhelpful at the moment. "Shame because I quite like her."

"What are you talking about Scarlett?" Stefan questioned moving thing back on course.

"I have that feeling again, the one I had back in October." Scarlett said, grateful that Stefan was taking her somewhat seriously as apposed to her brother who just thought of this as some big joke. Things were still frosty on her end towards Stefan but she'd put it aside for now if it meant that he'd believe her when she said something wasn't right.

Now it was Damon's turn to roll his eyes. "Red are sure it's not indigestion?"

"For once could you just shut up Damon!" Stefan said with an exasperated sigh before turning his attention back to Scarlett with a worried look on his face. He remembered her telling him a couple of days before Zach was killed that she had this bad feeling and that something bad was going to happen and she had been right. "Are you sure?"

Scarlett slowly nodded her head. "Yeah, it's just like the other times."

"Okay… What are the two of you talking about?" Damon demanded.

"For god's sake try and pay attention for once in your miserable life! I told you already that I have a bad feeling, geez… it's like talking to a toddler with you." Scarlett scolded in a very irritated manner. The sooner Damon was gone, the easier Scarlett's life would be again.

"So we're getting all worked up because you have a feeling or some sorts?" Damon sceptically said.

"You really don't get it Uncle Damon, I get these bad feelings occasionally and isn't anything normal it's an actual bad feeling in the pit of my stomach and it's bad and before you try and play it off as some thing stupid every time I've had this feeling somebody has died. So yeah we're making a deal out of this because something is going to happen to one of us…" Scarlett wearily said.

"One of us? Why one of us?"

"Because every time Scarlett has had this feeling someone in the family has died, the first time as when she woke up the morning after Gabriel died and the second time she got it was the days leading up to when you killed Zach." Stefan explained.

"Oh."

"Our point exactly."

"So one of us is definitely going to die? That's how these feelings of yours work?" Damon questioned.

Scarlett sighed. "No, not exactly but something could happen given the track history so we kind of have to be careful so not pissing anyone off or drawing attention to ourselves. The three of us need to keep our heads down and blend in… And before you say it Uncle Damon, I know that Uncle Stefan is about to go on to a float which makes everything I've said about keeping a low profile rather redundant… but my point is don't get killed."

"Well given that Bonnie deactivated the device that was capable of killing Stefan and I, not to mention that Isobel has finally left town I'd say we're all good. Although John Gilbert Jr. is still here and willing to expose us at anytime although we could tell him that we know that he's Elena father." Damon rattled off.

"–Wait… John is Elena's father?" Scarlett demanded.

Stefan just glared at Damon. "We think he is, there's nothing to confirm it but we know he dated Isobel when the two of them were teenagers and he was the one who brought Isobel to Grayson Gilbert when she was in labour."

"Makes sense." Scarlett said with a shrug of her shoulders before walking off, she told them what she had needed to so now she wanted nothing more to deal with them and besides Scarlett had worked to do. She planned on getting paid for this photo gig by holding onto the photos until the Founders Council i.e The Lockwood's forked over some cash to compensate her for her services not to mention it would send Mrs. Lockwood completely mental.

The whole founders parade took forever but Scarlett managed to get some good photos before sneaking off to take a nap in her car before her head exploded from sheer boredom and to escape from Damon who had taken to sticking to Scarlett like her shadow much to her annoyance. Not only did she hate these events but apparently they also made her sleepy and when she woke up Scarlett wearily climbed out her car and her tummy grumbled letting her know that she needed to eat so she figured that she should go to the grill to get something to eat. Walking towards the grill Scarlett was suddenly pulled back and turning her head she saw that it was Stefan and Elena. "What now? For god sake will you or your brother not leave me alone? I know I said something bad was going to happen but I do not need a babysitter!"

"Scarlett you were right! The tomb vampires who survived are back and they are going to attack the founding families." Stefan quickly stated.

"…Which includes me, oh lordy." Scarlett said slowly and before she could do anymore Stefan grabbed her arm and dragged her along with and Elena, from the incoherent ranting of Elena who was freaking out about the whole thing Scarlett some how managed to get the gist of it and understand that they were looking for Jeremy. That is until Stefan fell in the middle of the square and clutching his head.

"Stefan, what's going on? What's going on!" Elena demanded and Scarlett would have rolled her eyes if the situation wasn't so serious and potentially life threatening.

"My head…" Stefan groaned.

"What?"

"He said his head! Oh my god it's the device Elena!" Scarlett said in realization as that was the only thing that made sense.

"N-No… Bonnie deactivated it." Elena replied.

"Well clearly she didn't otherwise this wouldn't be happening!" Scarlett snapped as now she was beyond the pissed off mood she had been in days towards her annoying uncles but now it was directed to Bonnie Bennett and boy was nothing good going to happen when Scarlett crossed the witch's path. If there was one thing Scarlett hated more than Damon and Stefan making her life a virtual living hell then it was people messing with them as the way Scarlett saw it, the two of them were her bitches – and she said that with love – and nobody messed with her bitches except for her, especially no good pain in the ass witches who wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for Damon protecting her family line.

"My head…" Stefan groaned again and Scarlett looked around unsure of what to do as a deputy was making their way towards them until Mr. Saltzman intervened and Scarlett would have hugged the man if she wasn't sure that he'd get embarrassed not to mention that their were bigger things at hand here like the deputies were rounding up the vampires. Which meant one thing. Some one in the Founders Council was behind this and Scarlett had a pretty good idea of who; John Gilbert.

After a few minutes whatever was going on seemed to stop as Stefan stopped clutching his head and started to seem like his old self. It wasn't until Mr. Saltzman arrived and the four of them talked that it was confirmed that Bonnie definitely didn't deactivate the device and Scarlett had the biggest urge to say I told you so until hey realized that they hadn't see Damon since this all began and Alaric revealed that all the vampires being rounded up with vervain and were being taken to the old Gilbert building so off Elena and Stefan went followed by Scarlett as the way she saw it she didn't just save one uncle to lose another. Damon may be the biggest pain in the ass but he was her pain in the ass and her family. If anyone was going to kill him then it would be her, no one else.

"Wait, wait, wait, I can hear them… The building's on fire!" Stefan said pausing momentarily.

"What?"

"The building is on fire…" Scarlett murmured as she shared a look with Stefan and they both knew what that meant. Fire could be used to kill vampires, especially ones that were weak from being drugged with vervain. The three of them continued to make their way over to the old Gilbert building until they were stopped by John, Scarlett wasn't paying that much attention to that and instead ran on and before she knew what she was doing she had opened the doors and went into the building.

It was stifling hot, hotter than anything than Scarlett had ever felt and there were flames everywhere and Scarlett pressed her sleeve to her mouth to prevent her from inhaling too much smoke. Scanning the room Scarlett didn't see anything just the bodies of vampires and flames until she noticed the steps and bolting down them Scarlett immediately spotted Damon laying on the ground and she ran over to him. He was weak and Scarlett began shaking him in order to get him to focus. "R-R-Reddd…"

"C'mon Uncle Damon, you have to get up!" Scarlett yelled as she removed her sleeve from the mouth to try and help Damon up but he was too heavy for her and the flames were getting even more bigger and powerful by the second. They were going to die in here if they didn't get out here soon. Just like that pit feeling in her stomach had told, someone bad was going to happen and here they were, Scarlett and Damon. Despite the fact that they knew something was going on today and it would involve them never could Scarlett foresee this. "Uncle Damon!"

"Damon! Scarlett!" A voice yelled and Scarlett's eyes darted around the basement and she saw Stefan making their way towards them and within moments he had Damon on his feet and they were making their way back up the stairs and eventually they were out of the building and outside again where Elena was.

The fresh oxygen to Scarlett's lungs was like a slap to her face and immediately she started coughing as she clearly had inhaled a lot of smoke. And it felt like she was going to hurl a hairball or something and then she felt someone running her back and Scarlett saw that it was Stefan. "Don't you ever scare me like that again..."

"C-Could say the same thing to you!" Scarlett retorted.

"How's your heart?"

"It's nothing that I can't handle, I know my body…"

"That's not what I meant." Stefan clarified

Scarlett started coughing yet again and wasn't able to reply but gave Stefan a shaky thumbs up until eyes darted over to Bonnie and all the anger that had been replaced with fear and worry about her uncles quickly resurfaced and making her way over the witch, Scarlett didn't slap her like she wanted to, instead she punched her and boy did it hurt both sides but so worth it. "I-I swear to god Bennett, if y-you ever pull a stunt like this again and go after my family I will k-kill you!"

Not waiting around to hear the answer Scarlett staggered off to her car and went home to pull herself together which consisted of throwing up repeatedly in the bathroom as she continued to hack out all the smoke from her body. It was got to the point where Scarlett wasn't actually throwing anything up. Just dry heaving, as glamorous as it was but it did however make Scarlett very friendly with the toilet bowl.

"Here drink this…"

Pulling away from her new best friend Scarlett took the offered glass of water from Stefan who proceeded to sit down on the floor next to her and gently tap her leg. "What you did tonight was an incredibly stupid thing Scarlett, you could have been killed…"

"You don't think I know that? When the hell have you seen me running into a burning building before today? And you did it as well so I'm putting this down to the fact I'm a Salvatore, doing stupid things in one of the things we do best. I can't help my genetics…" Scarlett said in a rather hoarse voice before proceeding to take another sip of water, her throat was incredibly dry but the urge to throw up yet again was still there. "And at least no one died…""

"About that Scarlett… There's been an accident, involving Tyler, Caroline and Matt…" Stefan began and immediately Scarlett tried getting up but Stefan stopped her. "Don't worry Matt is fine as well as Tyler but Caroline is in surgery at the moment."

"I-I have to go… Be with him." Scarlett murmured.

"I know Matt is important to you but you need to get yourself together."

"No… I need to go now, Matt is the only normal thing in my otherwise freaky life he's the first normal friend that I have ever really had and even then it's not exactly normal given I know the truth about what happened to Vicki and I can't tell him. But he's been in an accident and his girlfriend who I don't exactly like is really hurt so I'm going to brush my teeth and go to the hospital and be a good friend." Scarlett said finally finding the strength to get without the urge to barf again and once she brushed her teeth and was fully functional she made her way over to the hospital. Once she got there it took her a while but she finally found him. He looked a wreck and that wasn't including the cast on his hand. "Matt…"

"Hey Scar…" Matt began as Scarlett made her way and hugged him.

"I came as soon as I heard, how's Caroline? I know that she's in surgery?" Scarlett asked.

"That's all we know. I-I don't eve understand how this happened, one minute Mayor Lockwood gave us his keys and told us to go home and Tyler was driving and then he got this headache and the car span out of control… Caroline was fine and then she just collapsed." Matt said and it was clear he was torn up about it all so Scarlett hugged him again. "Thanks for coming, I know your not a big fan of Caroline…"

"Hey… you're my best friend and she's your girlfriend and you care for her which means i care for her or least trying to. But Matt she'll be okay, this is Caroline Forbes we're taking about, the one thing I've always admired about her is how she just goes for things and let's nothing stand in the way and no car accident is going to get in the way of all her plans of world domination." Scarlett quipped and it caused Matt to laugh.

"You smell like smoke, you know that right?"

"Yeah… there was a fire in town, at the old Gilbert building and there was smoke everywhere but no one was hurt…" Scarlett lied as someone was hurt including Mayor Lockwood who was now dead.

Scarlett sat with Matt until she saw Bonnie arrive in and she got up and walked away, she couldn't be in the same room with the bloody witch of Mystic Falls without having an urge to kick her ass. So she went to grab a coffee but instead ran into Damon. "Red."

"Damon, long time no see. You pulled a fast one after Uncle Stefan and I pulled you out of that burning building."

"Had places to be Red but at least none of us are dead but thanks for the help and for that superb defending of our family, I saw you take down Bonnie and I have to say that right hook of yours is pretty powerful."

Scarlett flexed her right hand, where her knuckles were still slightly red but in her opinion it was worth it to knock that so called goody two shoes witch off her pedestal and back to reality. "Well she was the one who almost killed and I couldn't exactly have that as I have no intention of living with my mother again or being taken away somewhere by social services."

"Are you saying what I think your saying Red?" Damon quipped.

"Yes. You can stay because it seems the only way to keep an eye on you…" Scarlett began before being dragged off by Damon into a multitude of conversation with Bonnie and Elena, then Jenna, Elena and Damon where he realized something happened and then proceeded to drag both Scarlett and Elena back to the Gilbert house. Where yet again something was going down and this time it answered to the name of one Katherine Pierce, the vampire who had never met but always hated. Turns out she was in town posing as Elena and already succeeded in kissing Damon who thought she was Elena and stabbing and cutting of John Gilbert's fingers not to mention attacking Stefan.

"Scarlett… Are you okay? You seem a bit spacey?" Stefan questioned.

"So let me get this straight, Bonnie didn't deactivate the device which almost got us killed, then Caroline, Matt and Tyler all got into an accident, Mayor Lockwood is dead, there was a fire in town tonight, John Gilbert was almost killed and the now the big bad Katherine is back in town?"

"Yep. Pretty much."

"When I said that I had a bad feeling about today, I didn't not think all of this would happen… geez, I can't deal with anymore of this stuff for now so I'm going to go check in with Matt and then go home and take a nap. Call me if anything happens." Scarlett wearily said before leaving the Gilbert house.

A few hours of sleep seemed to do Scarlett the world of good but she still had this weird feeling but it wasn't like yesterday, so she put it down to being worried about Matt and Caroline and that latter part actually scared her that she was worried. But she tried not to think about as she was required to go over to the Lockwood's and pay her respect to the family which was a bore but you know it's what you do in small towns like these. So here Scarlett was in the Lockwood mansion idly walking around until she swore that she had seen Bonnie from across the room. It took Scarlett a moment to realize that she had and after she did she saw Elena follow her so she did the same thing because she wanted to ask Bonnie how the hell she had the balls to turn up here because if it wasn't for her then Mayor Lockwood would still be alive.

"…I met the delicious ex-boyfriend Matt, who's sweet on Caroline and then there's you, the vampire hating Bennett witch, did I do good?"

That was the first thing Scarlett heard when she walked into the room that she had follow Elena and Bonnie into and just judging by what she heard and how wigged out Bonnie was right now, it didn't take Scarlett long to put the pieces together and figure out that this wasn't Elena. "Katherine Pierce I'm guessing." Scarlett began.

"And you must be the infamous Scarlett Salvatore, I've heard a lot about you." Katherine replied with a small smile and it did freak Scarlett out how similar she was to Elena although there was a subtle difference in mannerism and no doubt personality. It was like she was looking at Elena, but it wasn't Elena even though Katherine looked and spoke like Elena. She had known about the whole doppelgänger thing but seeing it with her own eyes was just weird and very freaky, even for Scarlett whose world consisted of freaky and weird on a daily basis.

Scarlett scoffed. " Me infamous? Compared to you? I don't think so but then again I'm not a complete raving psychotic bitch who clearly has some deep rooted issues involving men and insecurity issues if you have to pretend to be someone else."

Before she could even blink Scarlett felt a pressure against her neck and Katherine was holding her by the throat up against a wall. If she had time Scarlett could have probably seen this coming as she knew all about Katherine's temper but that's the thing Scarlett had a temper too and this innate ability of being able to piss people off quite easily especially those who she hated. And at the top of her list was the one and only Katherine Pierce. "Your not scared, interesting…"

"You think I'm scared of you? Dream on… I live with vampires, I've had vampires beat the crap out of me so I'm not scared of you or any other vampire in the slightest because what is the worst you can do? Kill me? Everyone has to die eventually. And you could turn me like you did with my uncles and even then I'd still think of you as the evil bitch who ruined mine and my families lives a hundred and forty six years ago. So in all truth there's nothing you can do to ruin my life anymore and if you do anything to my uncles then I swear to god I will kill you and if I die in the process than so be it but I'll sure as hell make sure that I take you with me." Scarlett spat.

"Hmm… is that so?" Katherine asked until she gripped her head with her free hand before laughing and turning to Bonnie. "I've been around a long time Bonnie; you've gonna have to do better than that."

"Let go of her!" Bonnie warned and moments later she opened the doors using her abilities to expose Katherine although the only person who saw was Stefan who in turn walked in the room.

"Nice…" Katherine slowly said as she slowly lowered Scarlett but didn't release her hand from her throat.

"Katherine." Stefan began.

"Stefan."

"Let go of Scarlett and leave her alone." Stefan warned.

It took Scarlett by surprise when Katherine so easily complied with Stefan's request. "Okay I will. I like her, you know? Scarlett, I mean… She's very sassy not to mention she's a Salvatore and we all know that I simply adore the Salvatore's."

"Shame that the feeling isn't quite mutual." Scarlett spat and Katherine just laughed before walking off and Stefan gave Scarlett a look to stay put before following Katherine and Scarlett just knew this wasn't going to end well. Not to mention it probably explained the bad feeling that Scarlett still had, which didn't seem like it was going away anytime soon.


	46. Chapter 46

When Scarlett used the word well, it wasn't exactly the most apt way to describe how things were going to continue to go downhill for her and everyone else in town. Words she could have used instead were catastrophic, because that's how the rest of her day went. After finally meeting the infamous Katherine Pierce, the rest of Scarlett's day kind of just got worse and her mood was reflecting it. And the cause of it was not only Katherine bit her two uncles as apparently the wicked bitch vampire who just wouldn't quit told Damon that she was only back for Stefan, breaking his heart and causing Damon to go off the deep end and proceed to snap Jeremy Gilbert's neck although he was revived as he was wearing one of the Gilbert rings. But that was besides the point so now Scarlett was scouring the school carnival looking for Damon as Stefan wouldn't stop banging on about it to Scarlett as he believed she was the only one who could get through to him.

"About time, I've been looking for you everywhere as you've been awol for a bit and I know we have this thing we're we don't need to talk but we really need to talk." Scarlett began and Damon immediately rolled his eyes. "Yeah it's about the Jeremy Gilbert thing, we've talked about this and how you can't just go around killing people because you're in some kind of pissy mood.

"Stefan told what happened with her…" Damon said gritting his teeth.

"Yeah and do you know what I have to say about her? Fuck her! And I don't mean it in the literal way but as in Katherine can go fuck off to where she came from. I met your psycho bitch of an ex girlfriend today, we had a nice quiet chat and then she tried to strangle me. Which just made me even hate her more but my point is, who the hell is she not to want you?"

"Red…" Damon began.

"Look I know this is going into creepy territory but you spent the better part of a hundred and forty five years trying to get her out of a tomb which she wasn't even in. And even after all that and she still doesn't want you then it her damn loss because you re a great guy, when your not screwing around, maiming, being a complete and utter dick and I'm sure someday you'll find a very disturbed girl who loves you for who you are. But until then your stuck with me, your teenage niece who talks back, busts your balls and says that this shit of killing people has got to stop." Scarlett bluntly stated.

"Let me get this straight, your giving me relationship advice?" Damon quizzed. "You of all people?"

"Yes I am."

"The girl whose never had a date in her entire life is seriously giving me relationship advice, are you kidding me Red?"

Scarlett rewarded Damon by punching him lightly in the chest. "Unlike you I don't feel like sleeping my way through life and I have a fragile heart so I'm not going to hand it to some any old idiot to break and I say that as if I actually believe in love and I don't."

"You strange little kid." Damon state.

"Good talk, I'll see you later and don't kill anyone!" Scarlett said tapping Damon on the should before walking off to go grab some cotton candy as she had the oddest craving for it

"Forget it Red, we're going to spend some quality time together as your insight into everything that goes on in this town absolutely fascinates me." Damon said dragging Scarlett back and forcing her over to where Tyler Lockwood who was wrestling some idiot.

"Seriously? You force me into watching this rubbish? Just kill me now why don't you and please bury my body under my favourite tree in the back yard." Scarlett said with a roll of her eyes and Damon just laughed and nudged Scarlett gently in her ribs.

"There's a reason for this, just wait and all will be revealed." Damon vaguely said.

Scarlett waited for the answer and when Damon said nothing she turned her attention to the arm wrestling match in order to try and see what Damon was trying to show her. But whatever it was, she honestly couldn't see but then again Scarlett didn't exactly care, all she wanted was for this to be over and done with because she was finally allowed to go back to work and her first shift back at the grill was tomorrow. "I'm bored…"

"…And the two of you are lurking."

Looking over Scarlett saw Stefan making his way over to them. "He's lurking, I'm just along for the ride although I don't really know why."

"Actually I'm observing, thank you very much." Damon corrected.

"More like obsessing."

"Whatever…" Scarlett said with a roll of her eyes as she watched as Tyler won the wrestling match, which made sense, as Tyler Lockwood was all brawn and no brains literally. Scarlett knew that first hand as she was his lab partner for the first half of sophomore year and it wasn't experience that she'd like to go through again.

"He's got strength." Damon noted.

"He's a triple letter varsity athlete, of course he has strength. You're reaching…" Stefan commented.

"About what?" Scarlett murmured in half interest.

"Why Mayor Lockwood and Tyler reacted to the device, we know that vervain doesn't bother them so we know that they aren't vampires and I want to know their bad family secret." Damon began. "Enter the uncle, Red what do you know about him?"

"Tyler's hot Uncle Mason? He's a hoot and one of the few people who isn't a complete ass in this town and he knows how to have a good time. He is literally the coolest uncle ever and I say that despite how much I hate the Lockwood." Scarlett said as she kept her eyes on the new current wrestling match and pretty quickly Tyler got his ass handed to him by his uncle and Scarlett laughed before walking away to go get her cotton candy, which she was thoroughly enjoying until yet again Damon grabbed her and dragged her into school and into an empty classroom where Elena and Stefan was waiting. "Okay, what's so bad now that you're dragging me off yet again? It's about the Lockwood's yet again."

"This is about them it's about Caroline Forbes; she's a vampire." Damon began and Scarlett opened her mouth to say, well she wasn't even sure what to say. "Before any of you open your trap she practically handed my ass to me and no human could do that and the only reasonable explanation is vampire and she said Katherine told her to say game on."

"How did this happen?" Stefan questioned.

Scarlett rolled her eyes at the dumb question. "Well Uncle Damon did feed her blood and someone had to kill her and given that whole game on message I'd put Katherine at the top of that list, so A plus B equals vampire."

"But why?" Elena asked.

"Because Katherine is a manipulative nasty little slut." Damon stated as if that was reason enough

"And she said "game on"? What is that even mean?" Stefan questioned which cause Scarlett and Damon to look at each other and roll their eyes simultaneously as sometimes it was so hard being surrounded by complete idiots who missed everything even when it was right in front of them, such as times like these.

"It means she's playing dirty, she wants us to know."

"But why Caroline?

Scarlett shrugged her shoulders, their guess was as good as any and she'd prefer not to think too much into the mind of a psychotic vampire who loved to make people's lives misery. Katherine pierce was clearly a nasty piece of work who had no regard for anyone and was causing trouble here was really start to send Scarlett up the wall, she wanted the bitch gone and she wanted her gone now. "I don't know, but Caroline must be completely out of her mind, she doesn't even know what's happening to her."

"Oh I think she does. All of my compulsion from the past started wearing off the minute she was in transition." Damon says with a small shake of his head. "And before you say it Red, oh shit is right."

"We have to find her." Stefan stated.

"Yep and kill her." Damon nodded.

Elena shook her head. "You're not gonna kill Caroline."

"She knows who we are. She's officially a liability, and we've got to get rid of her." Damon stressed.

"Damon, absolutely not! We just had a conversation about you not killing anymore people just twenty minutes ago or has that conversation slipped out of your mind so easily!" Scarlett screeched in annoyance, as much as she hated Caroline even she thought killing her was a bit harsh.

"Need I remind you of a tragic little story of a girl named Vicki Donovan? Caroline, of all people, will not make it as a vampire. Her mother is a vampire hunter. Guys come on, we all know how this story's gonna end, just flip to the last chapter and..." Damon stated.

"It's not an option Damon." Elena stressed.

"No? Your silence is deafening, Stefan. Wait, wasn't there a school carnival the night you staked Vicki? Talk about a town where story repeats herself. You know I'm right." Damon said trying his luck with Stefan as it was obvious that both Scarlett and Elena were adamant about Caroline not being killed.

"We're not gonna kill her." Stefan affirmed.

"It's the only way." Damon said in disagreement and so they all split up and went their ways because the right now the most important thing right now was finding Caroline before she hurt anyone given how Vicki went on that rampage of hers and almost blew everything. Not that Scarlett really knew the finer details of what happened during that time as she was kind of in her own world given that it all happened days after Zach was killed and she was not herself during that time. But Caroline was the important thing here.

Walking out the school building Scarlett stumbled across the most puzzling scene and she was certain she was looking at Damon attempting to kill Caroline but Elena and Stefan were in the middle or preventing it. "…Whatever happens, it's on you."

Scarlett watched as Damon walked away and just as he left the world's most annoying teenage witch arrived on the scene and things went up shit's creek if Scarlett put it bluntly. As Bonnie said and did various things which just pushed Caroline even further than she already was in her highly emotional state. And when she took off Scarlett found herself taking after her and following Caroline into the girls bathroom followed by Stefan.

"She hates me! Bonnie hates me." Caroline wept.

"No, she's just in shock, we all are." Stefan said trying to assure her and Scarlett rolled her eyes.

"And what about Matt?"

"Hush. One thing at one time, let's get this blood off, come on. " Stefan said as he comforted Caroline as best he could and even Scarlett couldn't help but feel for the girl, her whole world was falling apart and it was something Scarlett knew all too well.

"I'm a m-m-murderer. I'm a monster! Caroline sobbed.

"You know what? Bonnie is full of shit and that whole holier than thou attitude she has just because she is a witch is really getting on my fucking nerves and if anyone is the monster than it's her. She's supposed to be your friend and when you really needed her she let you down and by my definition that spells out a really shitty friend." Scarlett said with a shake of her head.

Stefan tried to get Caroline to focus on him. "Look at me, your emotions are heightened right now, it's part of the transformation, it's completely normal, I promise you okay?

"Why does this keeping happening to my face?!" Caroline cried as she saw her face changing in the mirror

"Look at me, look at me, look at me! Caroline, Caroline! Look at me! Look at my face, look at my face!" Stefan began as he showed what Scarlett called his big scary vampire face, which was the same as the one Caroline had. "You see that? When you feel the blood rushing, you tell yourself that you're going to get through it, that you're strong enough. Yes, yes, no matter how good it feels to give yourself over to it, you fight it off, you bury it. Watch me, watch me. It's the only way you're gonna survive this thing. Try."

"That's good." Scarlett said in an encouraging manner as Caroline copied Stefan and both their faces returned to normal.

"Why did Katherine do this to me?" Caroline whimpered.

"I don't know, I wish I did. Hey, hey, I promise you I will not let anything happen to you. Come here." Stefan said and Scarlett watched as he embraced Caroline, that was what Scarlett liked best with Stefan, he was always good in a crisis especially when dealing and comforting emotional people.

"Here let's get you cleaned up." Scarlett began after Stefan let go of Caroline and grabbing some tissues and wetting them under the sink Scarlett started wiping the blood off Caroline's face. "This is scary. No doubt it is the most scary and confusing time in your life and I don't have the faintest idea of what you're going through but Stefan does and he can help you. But what I do understand is having your choice being taken away and having no say in the matter and life screwing you over when you just want to be normal and being involved in something that you shouldn't have any part of. I get it Caroline and you can do this. The two of us will be here for you…"

"W-why are you being so kind to me? You hate me Scarlett." Caroline tearily questioned

"I may say I hate you but I don't think I ever have and I will admit that most of the time I've found you to be an utter pain in the ass who pisses me off frequently but I know I'm exactly like that too. I'm not exactly the most pleasant person in the world but I told you I understand about being part of this vampire thing without a choice in the matter and we have something in common. One person that we both really care about –"

"Matt."

"Yeah, I told him that I'd make more of an effort with you for his sake so hear I am." Scarlett admitted. "And I know you probably won't believe me when I say this but everything will be okay, it'll just take some time…"


	47. Chapter 47

"Red…"

Looking up from her bed where she was reading a book Scarlett saw Damon standing in the doorway of her room with his usual cocky grin on his face and she couldn't help but sigh, he wanted something from her but what exactly he wanted, he couldn't be sure. Although she doubted that it was running to the store given that this was Damon. After the whole Caroline thing Scarlett thought she'd be royally ticked off with him but she found that she couldn't be mad with Damon as it wasn't his fault that Caroline had been turned into a vampire. He had given her his blood to safe her life, he wasn't to know that Katherine would turn Caroline. "Yes?" Scarlett asked.

"You at work today?"

Scarlett narrowed her eyes, as Damon had never been concerned about when she was working so it was bit odd him asking now given that she couldn't give him any free drinks at the grill given that she couldn't work the bar as she was underage. "No I have the day off, but I'm going over to Caroline's later with Stefan to help her with this whole transition thing."

"Change of plan your coming with me, so pack your bags we're going to North Carolina!" Damon said as he came over and dragged Scarlett off her bed and handed her a bag to pack.

"–Wait? What the hell is in North Carolina and why on earth are you going? And why do I have to come along even though I've told you that I already have plans for today?" Scarlett demanded.

"It's about the Lockwood's." Damon announced.

"Of course it is! Why can't you just leave it alone already? I thought we decided that they were teenage mutant turtles." Scarlett said with a shake of her head as she went to go pick up her book that had fallen to the floor when Damon dragged her off the bed but as she did she felt him grab her wrist and he forced her to look at him.

"Red this is serious, there's something odd about that family and by that I mean supernatural because no human can do what Mason Lockwood can do. So we're going to Duke to take a look at Isobel's research and before you open that mouth of yours to complain I know what your going to say but the woman spent years researching this town and so we think she may have something that can tell us what's going on with the Lockwood although Ric and Stefan already seem to think that we're dealing with werewolves." Damon stated and Scarlett just rolled her eyes.

"Fist vampires, then witches, doppelgänger's and werewolves… is it scary that I'm not even phased by any of this anymore and that it's kind of normal to me?" Scarlett questioned as she put the bag on the bed and made her way to her chest of drawers to grab some clothes as it looked like she was going on a road trip.

"Not really." Damon replied.

Forty minutes later Scarlett was in a car with Mr. Saltzman who was to be called Rick on these outings, Damon and Elena making their way out of Mystic Falls and on their way to Duke. Stefan was staying behind to take care of Caroline which was a relief because the last thing Scarlett wanted was the new vampire to be left alone so she could get in trouble although Caroline was trapped in her house thanks to the sunlight. But with Stefan with her everything was all good but here in the car? There was some tension given that Damon had technically killed Jeremy.

"How are you doing back there?" Damon asked referring to Elena. "You know this whole pretending to hate me thing is getting a little silly, ask Red she'll tell you it's pointless."

"I don't think she's pretending, you did kill her brother and as for Scarlett she has every right to hate after what you've done to her." Rick pointed out much to Damon's displeasure and Scarlett's amusement. Being stuck in a car with these three people was either going to be the worst few hours of Scarlett's life of the most amusing and so far the latter was looking to obvious choice. But either way Damon and Elena were arguing about whether Damon knew that Jeremy was wearing that bloody Gilbert ring, Damon said he did know and Elena didn't believe him all Scarlett knew was that she no longer cared as she spoke to Damon about randomly killing people and so her job was done.

A couple of hours later the foursome arrived at Duke university and Rick took them to the building where Isobel used to work in. "So Isobel was officially employed by the anthropology department given that most paranormal phenomenon is rooted in folklore." Rick explained.

"Makes sense…" Scarlett quietly murmured as they arrived outside the office, although she really didn't understand why anyone would want to study this crap, if and by some miracle she made it to college Scarlett was going to study something normal and non supernatural related like english literature or history of art.

"Excuse me, hi. I'm Alaric Saltzman, I called earlier…" Rick began when a woman answered the door after he knocked on the door and she introduced herself as Vanessa Monroe, a research assistant of comparative folklore here at Duke not that Scarlett cared, all she wanted to do was get the information that she needed and go.

"Uh, let me just grab Isobel's keys." Vanessa replied before changing the subject to ask about Isobel and whether there had been any news on her which caused Scarlett and Damon to share bemused looks with each other whilst Rick lied to Vanessa because clearly he couldn't tell her the truth about Isobel and how she was now a psychotic vampire who really needed her ass kick in Scarlett's opinion.

Vanessa led them into Isobel's office and they all walked into a room that was barely visible. "I'll grab the light, feel free to look around. It's fascinating isn't it?

"Bloody hell! This is going to take us forever…" Scarlett said as she looked at the piles of books and papers all over the office as each of them walked around the room, it was pretty much an understatement to say that Isobel used to be a workaholic back when she actually worked.

"Hey! Where did Isobel's little friend go?" Damon asked and Scarlett turned around to look just in time to see Vanessa come back with a crossbow and shoots an arrow at Elena but watch as Damon puts himself in front of Elena to protect her and take an arrow in the back.

Scarlett ran over to Damon and moved Elena out the way as Rick grabbed Vanessa and pushed her up against a wall. It took Scarlett a moment to figure out how she was going to take the arrow out as either way it was going to hurt. "What the hell is it with you? Someone always wants to kill you!"

"Pull it out. I can't reach it Red, just pull the damn thing out and lecture me later because it hurts!" Damon hissed and sighing Scarlett broke the end of the arrow and bulled the rest out from the tip of the arrow before throwing it across the room and moments later Damon got up and he was clearly pissed as hell, with good reason. "That bitch is dead."

"You're not gonna kill her." Elena stated and Scarlett didn't say anything, in fact for once she was all for Damon killing someone because she didn't like anyone messing with her family. So with this Vanessa was going to be killed by Damon or Scarlett was going to hit her, either way the woman would be in some kind of pain.

"Watch me." Damon replied.

"You touch her and I swear I will never speak to you again." Elena angrily stated.

Damon rolled his eyes and scoffed. "What makes you think that has any power over me? Because I took an arrow in the back for you? You're severely overestimating yourself."

Scarlett just rolled her eyes and watched the two of them argue, she hadn't noticed it before and she probably wouldn't have if she hadn't heard about the whole kiss thing between Damon and Elena which actually turned out to be Damon and Katherine but there was something going on with Elena and Damon, there was something that Scarlett couldn't really explain but it was there and she didn't like it. But for now she'd just keep an eye on things and so when Elena and Damon walked out of the room, she followed to the next room where Rick was with Vanessa and Scarlett found herself really annoyed and so she walked up to Vanessa and slapped her. "I don't know what your deal is but that girl is Elena Gilbert, Isobel's daughter and a descendant of Katherine Pierce. And this is Damon Salvatore who you just shot and who just happens to be my however many great uncles you have during the time period of a hundred and forty five years but back to my point, you try that shit you did before and I will let him kill you so I'd be extra nice…"

"Look, we need your help okay? We need to see all of Isobel's research, anything related to Mystic Falls." Elena explained and Vanessa wearily nodded and slowly rose from her seat and went to go back into the other room and was followed by Ric.

The next few hours were spent going through books and boxes filled full of papers, documents, maps and pictures which were all written on with Isobel's notes, some of the stuff was complete nonsense but some things were rather close to the truth. So Scarlett dropped the box to the floor and was handed a another book to read by Alaric. "Any luck?" Damon questioned

"There's nothing in here about Katherine that we don't already know." Elena said with a sigh

"Ah, you know, it's a bummer we're not friends anymore because I could tell you what I know. " Damon said taunting Elena and Scarlett just looked Alaric and the both of just rolled their eyes, they were getting sick of them.

"Now who's manipulating who?" Elena retorted but Scarlett ignored her in favour of the book she was reading, it was a bit of a stretch the information in the book but it kind of made a bit of sense and could be useful.

"Hey guys, check this out it think I might have found something." Scarlett called out in order to get everyone's attention and they made their way over to her and she held up the book she was reading briefly so they could all take a look at it. "Now there's no record of werewolf mythology in Mystic Falls but here are some records of some of the lesser known legends. Everything from Scandinavian skin walkers to Aztecs legends. One legend is called the "curse of the sun and the moon"

"It's Native American." Rick said as he read over Scarlett's shoulder.

"What does it say Red?" Damon questioned.

"It's Aztec and It explains one origin of the werewolf curse traced through Virginia. The short story: 600 years ago, the Aztecs were plagued by werewolves and vampires. They terrorized the countryside, made farming and hunting impossible until an Aztec shaman cursed them, making vampires slaves to the sun and werewolves servants of the moon. As a result, vampires could only prowl at night and werewolves could only turn on a full moon. When the full moon crests in the sky, who's ever unlucky enough to fall under the werewolf curse turns into a wolf." Scarlett read and biting her lip as she continued to read on, this was oddly fascinating in a manner of speaking.

"Does it say whether they can control the transformation?" Damon asked and Scarlett just shook her head.

"No but I doubt they can because If it were a choice, it wouldn't be called a curse." Scarlett sarcastically said.

Vanessa nodded and continued from where Scarlett left off. "Werewolves will attack humans but instinct and centuries of rivalry have hardwire them to hunt their prey of choice: vampires."

"Well, if werewolves were hunting vampires, I would know about it." Damon stated using his duh tone of voice, which always irritated Scarlett to no ends so she chose to ignore him as she continued reading.

"Not if there aren't that many werewolves left alive. Hundreds of years ago vampires hunted them almost to extinction." Vanessa explained.

"Why would they do that?" Elena asked.

"Oh shit." Scarlett said rather loudly, in fact louder than she had actually intended as what she had ready gave the answer to Elena's question and it wasn't good and Scarlett had to read the passage three times to make sure she was reading it correctly.

"What Red? What is it?"

Scarlett took a deep breath as she turned away from the book and turned to Damon, if what this book was saying was true then they were in a shit load of trouble given that they had two potential werewolves living in town. "To protect themselves, legend has it a werewolf bite is fatal to the vampires.

The look that came on Damon's face was no doubt the mirror of the one that Scarlett was currently wearing. "Oh shit is right Red…"


	48. Chapter 48

So the little trip to Duke had been rather eventful as were the days after, such as Damon getting Alaric to convince Jenna to throw a barbeque in order for him to stab Mason Lockwood with a silver knife to prove he was a a werewolf which was stupid as they already knew he was a werewolf as wolf Mason had almost killed Matt, Stefan and Caroline but Damon just needed any excuse to hurt anyone. Which reminded Scarlett that when she saw her annoying uncle she was going to slap him silly as he had dragged her to this lame community event that was taking place because the Fell family donated some money for a new children's park to be built. It was the last place on earth Scarlett wanted to be considering one of the founding families were involved but here she was eager to go, even tugging at her old lacrosse t-shirt and her shorts because it was better than doing anything here.

"Well I'll be damned if it isn't Scarlett Salvatore…"

Scarlett smirked as she looked up to see Mason Lockwood before making her way over to hug him, Damon may have a problem with him but she liked him and she knew he liked her. The two of them had gotten on when he used to live in town despite the age differences as he was the black sheep in his family and Scarlett was the town black sheep. "And if it isn't Mason Lockwood, my favourite rebel without a cause. Long time no see, you've been in town for a while now and this s the first time I've really seen you…"

"I know, but how you've been Salvatore? I've heard you been driving my sister in law up the bloody wall… getting high at the founders pageant? I have to say that's pretty impressive what you did and Carol's still laying an egg over that one, she can't believe you actually did that and neither can I." Mason chuckled.

"What can I say? Other than the fact that Carol shouldn't have pissed me off, she knows how I feel about these stupid founder events and yet she still signed me up. I honestly don't understand that she didn't think I'd retaliate in some way…" Scarlett casually replied with a shrug of her shoulders. "But I'm good, still somehow managing to survive living in this hell hole of a town and driving your sister in law even further up the wall with every passing day. If it wasn't for the fact that I'm from one of the founding families I suspect she would have had me exiled from town but anyway it's good to see you again and I'm sorry about the Mayor."

"No your not, you hated my brother." Mason pointed out.

"I hate his wife, I just thought he was an idiot. Big difference." Scarlett retorted and Mason just grinned, the two of them were the odd ones out in this town that they could make jokes like that and find them funny.

"Would you mind doing me favour Scarlett? Some idiot make the mistake of asking me to make lemonade and I need someone other than me try it as the last thing I want to do is let someone drink it and end up killing them." Mason asked.

"Sure, why not? Although the fact that someone asked you of all people to make lemonade is hilarious, people must be forgetting all the things you used to get up to before you moved away." Scarlett said and Mason led her over to the drinks stand where he poured her a glass of lemonade and she took a long sip to be polite and once she swallowed it, Scarlett couldn't help but frown. "It taste fine to me although I can't taste any vodka in it, are you going soft on me Mason? Here I thought you were the original bad boy of this town who did whatever he wanted and didn't care what anyone in this town thought?"

"Unlike you I'm trying to stay on Carol's good side but speaking about family, I didn't know that you had any other family apart from Zach." Mason said and it was clear he was referring to Damon and Stefan.

"Our parents were very much estranged so we didn't see each other much growing up but then the two of them decided to come and visit us, which was good as Zach had some business to take care of out of town and I had school and the last thing he wanted was to leave me home alone." Scarlett lied.

"You get along?"

"For the most part, we are very expressive Italians who are family and live under the same roof but the house is still standing and we haven't killed each other in the time that they've been here but there's still time." Scarlett stated with the smallest of smirks.

"Will you excuse me Scarlett? I have to go check on a few things…" Mason began and Scarlett nodded as she needed to go check on Damon and Stefan who were standing with each other looking very suspicious. So finishing her glass of lemonade Scarlett made her way over to them and folded her arms over her chest. "And what are you two up to?"

"What's going on with you and Mason Lockwood, you do realize that he is a werewolf Scarlett?" Stefan questioned and it just caused Scarlett to roll her eyes.

"Yes I do know that but he's my friend and I've learnt not to judge considering that I'm related to the two of you and your not exactly human yourself." Scarlett retorted.

"Your friends?" Damon sceptically asked.

"Yeah, we go way back and then I lost my virginity to him." Scarlett announced much to the shock of her two uncles as Stefan's jaw almost dropped to the floor and Damon made some very shocked and unflattering noises, it was clear that the two of them hadn't been expecting that and it was quite a shock to their system. "I'm kidding, but the looks on your faces…"

"Not funny Red." Damon said once he had recovered from that small shock.

"Relax unlike you two sinners, I'm still a virgin who just so happens to have a very potty mouth." Scarlett quipped.

"And it's going to stay that way." Damon firmly stated.

"Whatever but Mason is my friend and I know he almost killed Uncle Stefan and you tried to kill him but you're all even now so jut stay out of each other's path and everything will all be good because I just want to go through a coupe of days of peace and quiet without some supernatural problems making my life harder than it already is." Scarlett stated before huffing and walking off dramatically, hoping that it was all over and done with. Until about twenty minutes later when Elena came and got her to tell her that something was going on and before Scarlett knew it she was being dragged into the woods by Caroline and Elena. "Where are we going? And more importantly what's going on?"

"Keep quiet Salvatore! I need to be able to hear better." Caroline hissed which shut Scarlett shut up, whatever was going on was no doubt something bad so Scarlett would just let Caroline get on with it.

"Hear what?" Elena asked.

"Something's wrong, Elena." Caroline replied after a moment.

"Caroline... "

"Shh…" Caroline says with a shake of her head as she stops momentarily and it's obvious she's concentrating on something as her brows furrow together until she lets out a loud gasp. "Oh god!"

"What is it?" Scarlett asked.

"It's Stefan and Damon."

When Caroline said that Scarlett felt her heart drop in to her stomach, if the two of them were involved then it was something bad and the worry for them instantly overwhelmed Scarlett and she looked at Caroline and simply nodded and so Scarlett along with Elena followed Caroline as she tracked Damon and Stefan. They had been walking for only a few minutes when suddenly Caroline came to a stop in a clearing. "What is it?

Caroline pointed to a plant that was stained red, no doubt blood and Scarlett tried keeping herself calm as there was no point in getting her heart all worked up when they didn't even know what exactly was going on. "They've been here…"

"What are you three doing out here?"

Looking up Scarlett saw Mason walking towards them and it all made sense to Scarlett, Damon and Stefan no doubt ignored her instructions to leave Mason alone and no doubt they were in some kind of trouble because of it. Scarlett made a note to yell at them and give them the mother of all lectures after she had found them.

"Have you seen Stefan?" Elena asked.

Mason laughs. "Yeah Elena, I've seen him. Seen Damon too."

"What did you do Mason?" Scarlett demanded as she couldn't believe that he would so this, he was supposed to be her friend. Her fellow black sheep but now she wasn't sure what he was other than another stupid Lockwood who happened to be a vampire. It made Scarlett regret telling Damon and Stefan not to kill him as Mason may have been her friend but her family came before any friend of her, always.

"Their vampires Scarlett, you'll be better off without them…" Mason said.

"And you're a werewolf Mason!" Scarlett angrily retorted. "But they are my family so where are they Mason!"

"You don't need me for that. I'll let your friend here sniff them out." Mason replied as he glanced over to Caroline and laughing quietly to himself. "Does your mother know what you are? I'm happy to tell her."

"Does Mrs. Lockwood know what you are? Because I'd be more than happy to tell her!" Caroline retorted as he made her way towards Mason but he grabbed Elena from behind and started to strangle her.

"Don't be stupid! Necks snap easy around here." Mason warned.

"I can take you." Caroline replied.

Mason arrogantly laughed. "Wanna bet?

"Yeah. I do and you know what Mason? My money is on her." Scarlett said pointing to Caroline and moments later the little vampire Caroline rushed over to Mason, catching him and free Elena from his grasp and pushing Mason up against the tree and proceeding to kick the crap out of him with her vampire strength until she threw him against a tree where he landed on the floor. Scarlett had to admit she was very impressed, who knew Caroline could kick some major ass?

I walk over to Mason and gathering all my bent up anger I kick him in the stomach. "Aad that is for Stefan and Damon you stupid Lockwood!"

"Come on!" Caroline called out and the three of them left Mason and continued going further into the woods until Caroline stopped once again and looking around Scarlett realized that they were at the ruins of the old Lockwood estate and a shiver went down her spine for some odd reason.

"Forbes… c'mon, what's going on?" Scarlett questioned.

"My mom. She's killing them." Caroline quietly announced

"What?! We have to stop her!" Elena said as Scarlett was momentarily dumbstruck at this news, the only reason why the Sheriff would want to kill them is if she knew that they were vampires and the pieces all came together. This was were Mason was coming from, he knew that Damon and Stefan were vampires…

"No, I can't. Elena, she's gonna find out about me." Caroline cried.

"Caroline they are my family!" Scarlett said snapping out of her thoughts before running down into the ruins where she was followed by Elena given that Caroline was yelling for both of them to come back. It was dark but also dimly lit enough so they could follow the passage, Scarlett picked up a plank of wood just to be safe as she wasn't sure what to expect but she wanted to be ready just in case. As they got further down the passage her and Elena could hear a voice that was definitely Sheriff Forbes.

"…Let's do this. Each with a stake in the heart, then burn them both." Sheriff Forbes said and Elena let out a little yelp much to Scarlett's irritation which there was no way that the Sheriff didn't hear and Scarlett could hear footsteps approaching them and the second a deputy came into view, she wacked him in the face with the plank of wood and he went down like a ton of bricks.

"You can't kill them Sheriff Forbes! I won't let you!" Scarlett yelled as her eyes wondered to the ground where Damon and Stefan were both laying, breathing but barely moving and Scarlett could feel the fear and terror inside her but willed herself to calm down. Her heart playing up was the last thing she needed right now, so she needed to remain calm.

"Scarlet? Elena! What are you doing?" The sheriff asks in shock until the sound of the door being shut distracted them all.

"What was that?" The deputy questioned.

"Who else is with you? Sheriff Forbes demanded and her question was answered when Caroline appeared killing one of the deputies and punching the other one and after that Scarlett wasn't exactly too sure what happened as she went to attend to Damon, leaving Stefan in Elena's hands.

"For god's sake Damon what is with you and all these close calls! First Logan shooting you, the tomb incident, then the device and the fire, being shot with a crossbow and now this? Seriously? Do you have a death wish or something? Just because you may be a vampire that doesn't mean that you can't die you moron so you better cut all this shit out otherwise I'm gonna kick your ass and we both know that I can do that." Scarlett hissed as she started pulling out the wooden bullets out of chest so it would be easier for him to breathe before moving on to the ones in his leg.

"You made your damn point Red, now go help Stefan it looks like Elena isn't a pro at this like you are…" Damon said as he crawled over to the dead deputy no doubt to feed off him to regain his strength.

"Out of the way Elena," Scarlett said as she shooed Elena out of the way who was clearly struggling to pull out the bullets and after she moved Scarlett got to work removing the bullets and lecturing Stefan. "And you? What the hell where you thinking? If you had just listened to me and left well enough alone then none of this would have ever happened! I swear to god I'm going to have to get a lease for you and Damon! Not to mention my heart can't take anymore of this nonsense! You do recall that I have heart problems and stress just makes it worse!"

"B-But your okay? Your heart isn't…" Damon began.

"No my heart is perfectly fine! But my temper on the other hand…." Scarlett snapped.

"I'm okay, if you want to know Scarlett." Stefan weakly replied.

"Shut up! The two of you are going to send me to an early grave the way you keep going despite the fact that it was agreed that we were going to try and keep me alive for another sixty or so years!" Scarlett retorted as she went over and wiped her bloody hands on one of the deputies before sitting down and taking a deep breath. So Stefan and Damon were okay but they had two dead deputies on their hands not to mention the sheriff and Mason Lockwood knew about Damon, Caroline and Stefan. Not to mention that Scarlett wanted to get out of here, which eventually they did one Damon and Stefan had the strength to do so. After arguing about whether or not to kill the Sherriff, it was decided that they'd take her back to the boarding house and lock her up in the basement and let the vervain leave her body before compelling her to forget everything she had seen. Which was going to be a good thing as the Sheriff wanted nothing to do with Caroline, forgetting that she was her daughter and only focusing on the fact that she was a vampire. Needless to say Caroline didn't take that well.

"Red…"

Looking to the left of her, from where she stood in the doorframe of the living room Scarlett saw Damon standing next to her with a wearily look on his face. Given after everything that he had been through today, the man was allowed to look beat so she'd forgo the big lecture that she had planned as she figured that both he and Stefan had got the message when she was pulling the wooden bullets out of them. It was weird saying that in her head but that's what Scarlett did for the people she loved, pulled them out of tombs, fires not to mention pulling out arrows and bullets. Not that she'd tell them that, they didn't deserve to hear that she loved them, not yet anywhere… "Hey, how's the Sheriff doing?"

"Alive, but I know that's not what you meant but Liz is okay for the most part but I'd rather not have you go down there. I don't want her to try and hurt you in order to escape so just stay up here and I'll take care of her." Damon replied.

"What about you Uncle Damon? How are you dealing with this? The Sheriff almost killed you today and the two of you were supposed to be friends, must be hard." Scarlett said thinking how Damon's situation was kind of similar to the one with her and Mason except for Mason hadn't tried to kill her. But you got the point. It just made Scarlett think that it was hard to trust people here and the people who you called your friends could easily stab you in the back, it made her realize the only people she could actually trust in a manner of speaking was Damon and Stefan; her family and even then she couldn't entirely trust them but you got the point. She'd die for those two idiots who she happened to call Uncles and Scarlett knew that the two of them would do the exact same thing. There were a bunch morons who loved each other.

"I have you so I'll be fine." Damon quipped gently nudging Scarlett in the ribs. "You should go upstairs, get a shower and get some rest it's been a long day for you even though you weren't the one who was shot, yet again… "

I motion my head in the direction of Caroline whose crashed out of the couch. "I don't want her to be alone right now even though she's sleeping, she's gone through so much with this whole vampire thing and now this situation with her mom. I used to hate Caroline and the only reason why I gave her a chance was because of Matt but now I realiza how similar we are, we have the vampire thing and then the parent thing. We're both from the founding families, then there't the whole parent thing as her dad left, my dad left me albeit via suicide and then our mothers, Claire couldn't deal with this vampire thing and Sheriff Forbes hates vampires and is apart of a council to eradicate them. I've grown with all this, which makes it wasier for me to deal with buy Caroline doesn't deserve any of this. So I'm going to stay with her…"

"Want some company?"

"I'd like that."


	49. Chapter 49

_Hey everyone, sorry it's taken so long to update but this chapter and the next one have been kind of difficult to write but here it is. So we're one chapter away from the big chapter fifty and only seven reviews away from two hundred reviews which is simply amazing. Any who... so things have been going all nicely in the Salvatore house and that's not going to last for much longer and what i will say is that it is something that Scarlett will never forgive Damon and Stefan for and she'll end up taking off for a while and they won't be on good terms until the third season where they team up to rescue Stefan from the Klaus, but until then keep reading and enjoy xx  
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Scarlett was accustomed to the strange and the unusual in her life given that she was related to vampires and living in a town that was some kind of supernatural hub as it had the aforementioned vampires, witches, werewolves and doppelgänger's. But she much preferred it when it wasn't happening in her home, in fact it very much pissed her off when the supernatural 911's took place in the house because it was her house and she'd be the one cleaning the mess up. So imagine her surprise when she strolled into library to play a little but of piano only to see Damon chaining Mason Lockwood to a chair and Bonnie of all people being a willing accomplice. "What is going on in here, may I ask?" Scarlett questioned.

"Red… Your home, I thought you were at work." Damon wearily replied as he continued to chain up Mason.

Scarlett pointed to her work uniform, which she was still wearing. "I was at work but I've finished as I had a short shift today but that's not really the important thing here now is it? So I'll ask again, what in Bloody Mary's name is going on here Uncle Damon?"

"Long story short, Bonnie the teenage witch had this vision of Mason with Katherine and it turns out the two of them are working together as your former buddy over here is looking for a moonstone that can apparently break the full moon werewolf curse and for some reason Katherine wants it. So we're going to figure out where the moonstone is and what the gruesome twosome are really up to." Damon explained.

"Ah okay." Scarlett said nodding in understanding.

"You don't care." Damon noted.

"After what he tried to do to you and Uncle Stefan? Whatever your planning on doing he probably had it coming but it would have been nice to get a heads up as this is my house after all and we both know how I feel about being kept in the dark about things." Scarlett began as her eyes wondered down to the floor as Damon had positioned on the antique carpet although he had made an effort and placed a blanket on top of it. "Do I need to warn you what will happen if any blood of any kind leaves the blanket and land on the carpet?"

"No you don't Red." Damon replied.

"Then proceed!" Scarlett said with a wave of her hand and she watched as Bonnie used her wiccan gifts to try and get the location of the Moonstone and once she had figured out that it was in a well of some sorts, she took off and Scarlett followed her.

"What are you doing Scarlett?" Bonnie questioned.

Scarlett rolled her eyes, for a bloody witch Bonnie wasn't exactly smart. "You didn't think I'd let you go alone to get the moonstone after all the stunts you've pulled recently Bennett? You're like the most untrustworthy person in this entire town even with that holier than thou attitude you seem to have towards everyone and everything. And as much as I hate to use a wolf pun but you are the wolf in sheep's clothing so I'm coming with you and your just going to have to accept that otherwise you'll be reacquainted with my right fist."

"Fine…" Bonnie reluctantly said and Scarlett just grinned at the two of them made their way towards the front door where they ran into Caroline who had no doubt come up from the basement where Sheriff Forbes was still being weaned of the vervain.

"Forbes!" Scarlett greeted rather enthusiastically, over the last few days she had gotten to know Caroline properly and to Scarlett's surprise she really liked Caroline and the two of them had bonded rather well. Eight months ago if you had told her that she'd be friends with Caroline Forbes of all people there was no doubt Scarlett would have hit you, it was funny how things changed.

"Hi." Caroline replied.

"Hi. How's your mom? Elena filled me in on everything. " Bonnie awkwardly said and Scarlett just rolled her eyes, the bloody witch was still being difficult about this whole Caroline being a vampire thing but as Scarlett recalled it was Bonnie who had told Damon to feed his blood to Caroline in order to save her and that technically made her the one responsible for Caroline becoming a vampire.

"I'm gonna take her home tonight." Caroline stated with a small smile.

"Bummer, I like having you and your mom around." Scarlett quipped and she honestly meant that, as it was nice not to be always completely outnumbered by the men in this house.

Bonnie just looked uncomfortable and seemed to get even more so with each passing second and Scarlett had the urge to punch her yet again. " Caroline… never mind, I've got to go.

"Did you find the moonstone thing?" Caroline questioned and it was obvious how much effort she was trying to put in to get Bonnie to talk to her again. Only made Scarlett hate Bonnie even more because even though Scarlett wasn't the friendship guru or had a real long history with friends given that she could name all her human friends on one hand but even she knew that you didn't abandon a friend when they were going through a huge change in their life like becoming a vampire.

"Not yet... Hey, do you remember that old well where we used to play when we were kids?" Bonnie tentatively asked.

"Yeah."

"It's in the woods." Bonnie explained. "Do you remember where?

"On the edge of the old Lockwood property. Why?" Caroline questioned.

"The teenage witch over here thinks that's where Mason is keeping the moonstone so we're going to go check It out and hopefully we get the moonstone and put a dent in whatever Katherine is up to." Scarlett optimistically said which was rare for her as she was more of a cynical pessimist than anything but anything to do with ruining whatever Katherine had planned turned her into an temporary optimist.

"Well, I can come with you." Caroline offers.

"No, it's okay." Bonnie quickly states and Caroline face falls which made Scarlett feel sad so she took that opportunity to kick Bonnie in the ankle as hard as she could before proceeding to glare at her in order to make her change her mind and it seemed to work. "Sure."

Caroline absolutely beamed at the opportunity "Okay."

The three of them left the house and Bonnie made her way towards Mason's car and Scarlett just pulled her away and dragged her towards her car and pushed Bonnie into the back. "We can't take Mason's car you idiot! At first I thought you were just stupid but now I realize that you are a complete moron. There's a good chance that Damon is going to kill her and we can't exactly be seen driving his car so we're going to take mine given that I'm not going to get pulled over for driving Mason's car and mine is an off road vehicle and we're kind of going off road!" Scarlett snapped, she was always surrounded by complete idiots who had no clue about anything.

"Chill Salvatore it's okay, just relax." Caroline assured Scarlett as she started the engine and began driving out of the driveway. They had to drive a couple of minutes before they would reach the route that would take them to the old Salvatore ruins.

"… Back when we were in the house, I heard you called Damon uncle." Bonnie began.

"He's my Uncle, what else am I supposed to call him other than Uncle Damon? I don't know about your family or anyone else's but in mine we call our relatives but such titles like dad and uncle, even if they are vampires." Scarlett stated and this just furthered her point that Bonnie Bennett was a complete moron.

"Why does he call you Red? I hear Damon call you that all the time?" Caroline questioned.

"Number of reasons, mostly because of my name is a shade of red and then there's a reassuring joke about me being Little Red Riding Hood and one day Damon just came out with it and it's stick ever since." Scarlett revealed before moving the subject onto the so called well they were looking for a minutes later they climbed out of the car and continued the rest of the journey on foot. That was until Caroline suddenly took off.

"Something's happened…" Bonnie said and started to run in the direction that Caroline had gone in.

"Not so far fast Bennett the two of us are going to have a bit of a chat and it's not optional." Scarlett said as she grabbed Bonnie's arm and pulled her back. "You have a problem with vampires and for the most part that's understandable but you've tried to kill my Uncles twice and that's kind of a problem and I've told you I'll kill you if you ever try that again."

"My grandmother died because of them." Bonnie began.

"We're not talking about Shelia we are talking about you Bonnie and you've been trying to wipe out them out and have succeed for some of the part but the funny thing is that vampires are supernatural as are witches. And the founders council aren't exactly supernatural friendly, if you get my drift…"

"What are you saying?" Bonnie questioned and Scarlett just rolled her eyes; like she said Bonnie was an idiot.

"Next time you think about trying anything with my uncle know take a moment to remember this; I'll turn you into the council myself and I know that the founders council back in 1864 were the ones who ordered Emily to be burned at the stake and even though a hundred and forty six years have passed I doubt this council wouldn't hesitate to do the same especially if they found out that you were the one who released all the tomb vampires. So stop being Bonnie the pain in the ass and two faced backstabbing witch and start being the helpful one who no longer has a death wish." Scarlett threatened.

"Fine…"

"Oh and another thing? Cut Caroline some slack, she didn't ask to be a vampire but she's dealing with it as best as she can and so what if she killed that guy at the carnival? It was an accident, she never wanted to hurt anyone but your so quick to judge that you never think about how scared, alone and confused she was as she transitioned, trying to figure out what she was. Caroline needed a friend and you abandoned her as if she meant nothing to you but let me remind you that you were the one who didn't deactivate the device and because of that Matt, Tyler and Caroline got into the accident and she would have died but you insisted that Damon give Caroline his blood. Your taking the moral high ground on this but let me remind you that it is your fault that Caroline is a vampire and she should be the one whose angry but instead she's the one working trying to get you to talk to her." Scarlett spat before shaking her head and running in the direction that Caroline had gone of in.

Minutes later Scarlett along with Bonnie arrived at the old well where both Caroline and Elena were peering down into it.

"What's going on? You took off in a blur." Bonnie demanded.

"I heard Elena screaming and Stefan's stuck at the bottom of the well and it's filled with vervain!"

"We need to get him out now!" Elena yelled as she grabbed the chain. "I'm going to go down and get him."

"Elena let me do it, I'm lighter not to mention to you're a wreck right now and that's the last thing we need right now as we need to help Stefan find the moonstone. So I'm going. Forbes can you give me a hand?" Scarlett stated as she took the chain off Elena and climbed up so she was sitting on the well and holding onto the chain.

"Sure." Caroline replied and ever so slowly she started to reel Scarlett down into the well until she lost hold of the chain for a second which made Scarlett go down the well a bit too fast until she regained her hold. "Sorry!"

"It's fine Caroline, keep going I'm almost there!" Scarlett yelled and Caroline kept lowering her down until she reached the bottom where Scarlett found Stefan, unconscious with his skin scorched from all the vervain in the well. If it wasn't for the fact that Scarlett knew that the burns would heal, her lunch may have made a reappearance because of the smell of scorched flesh.

"Scarlett what's going on down there?" Elena yelled.

Ignoring the Elena hysterics Scarlett wrapped the chain around Stefan making sure that it was tight enough that it wouldn't come lose and he'd come falling back down again. "Nothing, everything's fine just pull him up!"

Slowly Stefan started to rise out of the vervain filled water and Scarlett watched as he went further up the well until he reached the top and someone pulled him out and out of sight and now that the whole Stefan problem was fixed Scarlett turned her attention to looking for the moonstone. Problem was it was kind of dark down here that made things harder and Scarlett felt around the well until she stumbled across a box which happened to have a lovely little snake on it. First vervain and now snakes, thankfully Scarlett didn't have a problem with either so picking it up Scarlett disposed of the snake and opened the box where she found what she presumed to be the moonstone and she tucked it into her shorts. "I've got the moonstone, beam me up Scotty!"

"What?" Caroline called out.

"Forget it, just pull me up!" Scarlett replied as she grabbed onto the chain and less than a minute later she was out of the well and adjusting her eyes to light. Looking over to Stefan she saw Elena feeding Stefan some of his blood.

"So you have the moonstone?" Bonnie questioned.

"That I do." Scarlett said pulling out of her pocket and letting them all get a good look at it before putting it back into her pocket. "But enough about that, we need to get the injured one home so stop feeding him your blood Elena otherwise he'll get hooked on it again."

"Scarlett…" Elena began.

"I'm being serious Elena, get the supply and let me take him home." Scarlett stated and Elena complied, with Caroline's help Scarlett managed to get him back to her car and by the time that they arrived at the boarding house Stefan seemed to be okay but that couldn't be said for Scarlett's shoes as they were soaked to the brim so she had to take them off the second she walked into the house.

"Thanks for rescuing me back here Scarlett…" Stefan began as the two of them headed towards the library and Caroline made her way towards the basement.

"No need to thank me as it seems to be a reoccurring thing as of later." Scarlett quipped as her and Stefan walked into the library to see Damon putting Mason's body in the blanket. "Um… Hi we're back."

Damon looked back and smirked. "So I see, did you get it then?"

"I did indeed." Scarlett replied as she pulled the moonstone out of her pocket to show both Stefan and Damon the apparent object that both Katherine wanted and that Mason formally has until now. It wasn't that impressive in Scarlett's opinion, she had been expecting it to be a little more supernatural or do something cool like glow.

"All this for that?" Damon scoffed clearly not impressed that he just killed someone for something that was barely bigger than a hockey puck.

"Yep." Stefan replied as he looked the moonstone over before passing it to Damon and looking over to Mason's dead body which was looking rather bloody round about the chest are and it wasn't hard to figure out how he died. "I see you've exercised your usual restraint."

"Had to be done." Damon reasoned as he handed Scarlett back the moonstone and went for Mason's phone. "Now I've got to pretend to be wolf boy here and send a message to Carol so no one gets suspicious but I really have no idea how to speak idiot werewolf surfer…"

Scarlett rolled her eyes and took the phone of Damon. "Let me do it then, "Carol, big opportunity in Florida, I'm gonna be gone for a long time. Will send for my things once I get settled much love, Mason" That, it sounds enough like Mason that Carol won't think to question it. No need to thank me, that's just what I'm here for, to rescue you the two of you and to clear up your messes."

"Speaking of messes, let's get rid of the body." Stefan said.

Damon smirked as he took the phone back from Scarlett. "Oh.., last number dialled. I wonder who that can possibly be?"

"No, no, no! Don't provoke her!" Stefan warned but as usual it fell on deaf ears as Damon only smirked as he put the phone on speaker and Scarlett just rolled her eyes as this was going to be interesting to say the least. Damon could never help him self and had zero self-control.

"Mason, you should have been here an hour ago." Katherine said none the wiser clearly thinking that she was talking to Mason and boy was she going to be pissed when she found out what happened, so Scarlett decided to take a seat in order to be comfortable for when the fireworks began.

"Wrong boy toy." Damon cheerily replied no doubt feeling awfully smug with himself for killing Katherine's playmate.

"Damon, for once you surprised me. I assume Mason is with you?" Katherine questioned not bothering to hide the surprise in her voice.

"He's right beside me although his heart's across the room." Damon nonchalantly said and he along with Scarlett and Stefan all took a baited breath to see how Katherine would react and Scarlett had to admit that she would pay good money to see Katherine's face right now.

"You shouldn't have. " Katherine said very slowly and very carefully after a moment.

"I've had a very busy day today. I killed a werewolf, found the moonstone. Hey, did you know that he hid the moonstone at the bottom of a well full of vervain? I guess he didn't trust you very much but he did love you. Poor guy… Hey, where are you? Because I could bring him over. Last goodbyes and all that. " Damon said turning on the cocky and arrogant attitude that they all loved to hate.

"You have no idea what you've just done." Katherine stated no doubt very pissed off with how things were currently going, it actually made the whole day rather enjoyable to Scarlett and worth the whole climbing down a well thing as it severely ruined Katherine's plans no to mention it pissed her off majorly.

"Aww, did I put a kink in your master plan? I'm so sorry…" Damon asked in the most condescending manner which caused Stefan to roll his eyes and Scarlett to smirk in bemusement.

Katherine actually laughed and it sent a chill down Scarlett's back. "Do you honestly believe that I don't have a plan B? And if that fails a plan C, then a plan D and… you know how the alphabet works, don't you? Send my love to Stefan…"

Moments later the line went dead and all three Salvatore's all looked at each other, they didn't have to be mind readers, psychics or get the occasional bad feeling to know that this wasn't going to bode well in the slightest.


	50. Chapter 50

_So here it is the big and not so bad fiftieth chapter! This chapter will play a huge part later on in the big bad incident that causes Scarlett's estrangement from Stefan and Damon not to mention her taking off, p.s a huge thank you in advance to whoever gives this story it's two hundredth review! i will try and have a new chapter ready to be posted for tomorrow to say thanks you! enjoy xx_

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Scarlett walked out of the backroom of the Grill and made her way over to the bar where Luke her favourite bartender was on shift and as she passed he handed Scarlett her waitressing apron, which she tied around her waist and got ready for the start of her shift. As she waited she saw Matt collecting some dishes and after a moment he looked up and once he saw her he beamed. "Hey stranger, long time no see I feel like I've barely seen you."

"That's because you're never around anymore, your always busy with something." Matt retorted. "I tried call you the other day to see if you wanted to hang out but you never called me back, I started to think that you were avoiding me."

"Me avoiding you? I think not, like you said I've just been busy and the last couple of days I've been out of visiting my mom." Scarlett explained.

"And now you're lying to me."

"What are you talking about?"

Matt sighed. "After what happened to Jenna and her accidently walking into a knife thing I gave her a lift home and when I got to the hospital I saw you and I tried calling you but then I saw you go off with some doctor. You weren't with your mom Scarlett."

"How's Jenna?" Scarlett questioned changing the subject, Jenna had been compelled to stab herself with a kitchen knife by Katherine after the whole Damon killing Mason and them having the moonstone thing. Apparently she had been pretending to be Elena recently and managed to convince Jenna not to use her vervain perfume or drink the tea with vervain in it and them compelled her to stab herself.

"Fine and your changing the subject, so what's going on with you and why the lying?" Matt said pulling things back on track.

Scarlett sighed, Matt wasn't going to drop this and she really need to talk to someone about this. "Put the tray down and follow me."

"Okay." Matt said going along with it and he followed Scarlett into the panty of the grill. "Why were you at the hospital?"

"You remember what I told you about my heart? How I have this condition which causes it to beat faster then it actually should and at times I get these arrhythmias?" Scarlett questioned and Matt nodded. "Because of that I have to see a heart specialist every soon often to get my heart checked out and have a couple of tests done and see how it's doing. It generally takes about two days and I'm admitted into the hospital. The day you saw me there, was me checking into the hospital with my doctor…"

"So you were getting tests done, what did they say?" Matt questioned

"You really don't want to know."

"Scarlett this me your talking to, I'm your best friend so you can talk to me about anything and I want to know what's going on so tell me what the doctor said." Matt sated gently prodding Scarlett to continue.

"It's not looking too good at the moment, the last couple of months it's been getting worse and the tests reflect that. A few times now the palpitations have been strong to render me unconscious. Usually when I get a palpitation I stop them by doing a one of several things which activate my vagus nerve and gets my heart to slow down but it's getting harder each time and my doctor isn't sure how much longer I'll be able to do it."

"Okay so what is he suggesting?"

"Well there's medication I can take but I'll probably have to be on it for the rest of my life and that's what Dr. Parker wants to try in a few weeks but there are other options like this procedure called a Catheter ablation, it's a to remove faulty electrical pathways from the heart and involves putting several catheters in the blood vessels near the heart… Or there is another treatment that wouldn't require surgery but it's not exactly pleasant Matt and it's the last resort if other treatments don't work…"

"What is it?"

"It's called Cardioversion and it would fix my heart as the doctors would make my heart return to a normal rhythm."

"If they do that then you'll be fixed?" Matt began but Scarlett just shook her head.

"It's not that simple Matt, to make my heart return to a normal rhythm the doctors would have to shock me with electricity, it's the one way to really fix my condition but I'd have to be awake Matt, they'd give me drugs to sedate me and make the pain tolerable but I'd be awake and feel every second of it, the procedure isn't exactly pleasant hence why it's a last resort. But I have to make a decision about what I want to do…"

"And do you know?"

"I have no idea what I'm going to do, I've had this condition for almost nine years now and I didn't think I'd ever have to make a choice like this but last few months haven't been easy and the stress of everything that's gone on in my life has only made my heart even worse then it already is." Scarlett explained.

"Have you told anyone about this? Damon or Stefan? Your mom?" Matt questioned and Scarlett just shook her head in response.

"No and I don't intend to so you can't tell anyone about this Matt, you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone what I've told you. I can't deal with people knowing and making this a bigger deal than it already is. I'm just going to keep it quiet and figure out what I'm going to do, which is soon as I have to go back to the hospital and talk to Dr. Parker about what we're going to do next…"

"I promise."

"Thank you."

"What day do you go back to the hospital?" Matt questioned.

"Three days time, my appointment is an hour before my shift here." Scarlett explained with a small sigh.

"I'm coming with you, it's your choice not to tell anyone about all of this but I'm not letting you go and see the doctor all by yourself. So I'll drive us to the hospital after school and then I'll bring us here where we can spend some more time together although I'm be picking up dirty plates and you'll be taking people's orders." Matt replied and it struck Scarlett how genuinely concerned he was about her and her health.

"You're a good friend, I don't deserve you."

"I don't know about that." Matt quipped nudging Scarlett as the two of them left the pantry to get back to work. "Hey you going to the masquerade ball tonight?"

"No way, I'm going to play it safe and stay in tonight because I'm kind of still avoiding Mrs. Lockwood and the two of us in the same room with anything that involves dresses and parties never ends well."

"Fair point."

After work Scarlett kept her word and went home in order to spend the night sitting on the couch with a cup of hot chocolate and a good comedy film after everything that had went on in her life and currently going on sometimes she needed to remind herself that she needed to laugh and have good time. Not to mention remember the rest of the world wasn't like the world she lived in. About forty minutes into her second film Scarlett was distracted when she felt someone pull on one of her french plaits and looking up she saw that it was Damon who had clearly come back from the masquerade ball. "Oh, hey you…"

"Right back at you Red, how was bonding time with mommy and her stupid husband?" Damon asked pretending to feign interest.

"Boring as usual." Scarlett lied, she had fed Stefan and Damon the lie that she was spending time at her mothers in order to get more money from and they believed her, as it was nothing out the ordinary. Well it was but Scarlett would only spend time with her mother if she was getting something out if, not to mention Damon and Stefan didn't exactly spend much time in a hospital so they'd be none the wiser. Although Scarlett had to be sure that they wouldn't so she covered her tracks, like taking two showers as to get rid of the hospital smell on her skin as Damon always knew when she had been to the hospital as he claimed that it caused her to smell like old people, death and disinfectant. "What about you? Have fun recently?"

"Something like that, but I wouldn't exactly call it fun." Damon sarcastically said which piped Scarlett's interest as that meant something had happened and it was most likely of the supernatural variety.

"Like what? I want to know!" Scarlett asked.

Damon looked at Scarlett and for a moment she wondered if he knew that she had been lying to him and he was about to bust her for it. "You look exhausted, go upstairs and get some sleep, I'll fill you in tomorrow Red and that's an order Red!"

Apparently not. It seemed like Scarlett was an ever better liar than she originally thought.


	51. Chapter 51

_G'day everybody! like i promised another new chapter and i've decided that as a thank you to everyone whose are faithfully follwong this story and those who have reviewed it - getting me past two hundred reviews i've decided to say thanks and reward you all by giving you some spoilers because you've all been great. so firstly Scarlett is not going to become a vampire at the present time and i don't really see it happening ever. now i know that some of you would really like her too as i won't lie Scarlett would be pretty bad ass vampire but after everything she's gone through in her life because of this whole vampire thing the last thing she would do is willingly become a vampire. plus like many others i like the idea of her growing older and having a family, with Stefan and Damon remaining in her life and taking care and watching out for her like they promised. i see them interacting with her kids, being there when she gets married etc..._

_Now the big spoiler, ever i since i mentioned that Scarlett will have a love interest i have been bombarded with questions about who it is. someone of you have guessed correct and some of you have been well off but i've decided to tell you who it is and it's... KOL! yep. It's Mini Elijah. For some reason i've pictured the two of them in my head and i can't help but laugh as i imagine them in various scenarios and like i said waaay back Scarlett and Kol would keep each other on their toes. Don't get me wrong i love Elijah and Klaus but i just don't see with either of those two. And another little thing for you, an unlikely friendship between Klaus and Scarlett will be struck up when she becomes estranged from Stefan and Damon. _

_Until then keep reading because i think your really going to like the direction that the story is going to go in, enjoy xx  
_

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The words that Dr. Parker used with Scarlett were no alarming amounts of stress, she was supposed to be calm and spend her time being relaxed and not give her heart any reason to start having palpitations because Scarlett's blood pressure much to her dismay was still rather high but it's kind of hard to stay calm when vampire and witches get together and Katherine was compelling Matt and attempts to kill her went astray and then people were being kidnapped and vampires almost getting their ass' handed to them by other vampires and then a vampire just waltzes into her house like nobodies business and by that Scarlett meant Elena getting kidnapped by some vampires called Rose and Trevor for some reason and of course Damon and Stefan went to rescue her but almost getting killed then the vampire Rose turning up at the boarding house.

Rose then dropped the bombshell that the vampire who tried to kill Damon and Stefan is a vampire called Elijah who is an original, one of the first vampires and that he's looking for Elena because another original called Klaus wants to kill Elena. So it was really nothing new apart from the whole original badass vampire thing.

That was one of the big problems here, the other one was that Tyler 'dumbass' Lockwood had activated his curse by killing some girl Sarah and another girl Aimee Bradley was dead although her body was hidden. Scarlett really needed a holiday. But instead she decided to skip school to take a road trip to Richmond with Damon and Rose to investigate this whole original vampire thing because this vampire Klaus was apparently the most feared original of them all.

"So the two of you live under the same room? Despite being a vampire and a human… Are the two of you…" Rose began breaking the silence that most of the journey had consisted of.

"Don't even finish that sentence vampyra, we're not into incest." Scarlett quipped from the back seat as she stared aimlessly out the back window.

"You're related?" Rose asked in surprise.

"Little Miss Scarlett is my niece give or take a few generations over a hundred and forty six year period." Damon explained. "But what are you blind or something? The resemblance between the mini me and I is rather obvious."

"Don't call me that, it's weird hearing you call me Scarlett so just stick to Red but he is right Rose, the two of us look rather alike for it not to be obvious that we're relatives. Anyway is this going to take long? I have plans later on which I would like to keep." Scarlett replied as she literally could not recall the last time she had heard Damon call her by her actual name and truth be told she didn't like it. Well she liked her name but she preferred Damon calling her Red. It was simple, nice and not to mention it was part of their personal joke.

"With who? Your not exactly Miss sociable Red, if your not at home then your at work or school." Damon demanded.

"Not that it's any of your business but I'm hanging out with Matt tonight, we're going to study for a test with have in trig then have dinner and probably watch a film. You know normal things friends do, well you would know if you had any friends." Scarlett retorted.

"Ouch!" Rose chuckled.

Damon ignored the joke at his expense. "Donovan? The dumb jock? Seriously Red? Your hanging out with Matt Donovan of all people? Your standards have really dropped."

"Hey! You don't get to talk about him like that, the guy's my best friend so you had better start showing being nice to him otherwise your jacket is going to take another bleach bubble bath." Scarlett warned which shut Damon up instantly and caused Rose to laugh.

"And what is so funny Rosebud?"

"The two of you. It's funny how alike the two of you are in terms of personality; you kind of just bounce off each other. It's rather amusing to watch." Rose explained and Scarlett caught Damon's eye in the rear view mirror and the two of them just rolled their eyes as Rose pulled into an underground garage for a coffee shop and moments later she put the car into park. "We're here."

"Back entrance, how convenient." Damon sarcastically stated.

"That's the point, we can't all have little daylight rings." Rose retorted.

"So how do you know this guy Slater will even be here?" Scarlett questioned, apparently it was impossible to get in touch with Klaus but it was possible to get in touch with Elijah although through some guy called Slater who according to Rose was very low on the totem in the whole grand design of things.

"I called him before we left, he's here. He's always here." Rose replied.

"Good." Damon stated before pushing Rose up against a wall. "Just one thing. If you're setting us up in any way, I will rip your heart out and shove it down your throat and it's something I'm very good at."

Rose then surprised Damon by pushing him against the car. "I'm older than you and stronger, so don't get on my bad side… You can trust me."

Scarlett just rolled here before pushing the two vampires apart and reminding them that she had somewhere else to be in a few hours and that she was not in the mood to be paying mediator to their macho contest and they both needed to get over it and move on because they were here for reason. Finally getting their act together Rose led them into a coffee shop and Scarlett not to mention Damon's jaw dropped because it had windows in it and Rose wasn't bursting into flames because of it. "Whoa… What about the sunlight?"

"Double paned and temped. UV rays can't penetrate, you see the appeal now?" Rose explained and Scarlett could only nod.

"–That and the free wi-fi." A voice said and Scarlett watched as someone who she presumed to be the infamous Slater came over and hugged Rose, he was actually very good looking but then again every vampire that Scarlett had come across were.

"Hey, how are you?" Rose questioned.

"Good. I saw you come, what are you doing here?" Slater questioned.

"Mmm, it's a long story but I want you to meet…" Rose began.

"Damon Salvatore. Turned in 1864 by Katherine Pierce aka Katerina Petrova. So I take it I was right, what I told you about the tomb under the church was true?" Slater questioned and Scarlett could swear that she could see a little twinkle in his eye and she just looked at Damon with an odd look on her face and he just shrugged his shoulders in response.

"Yes. It was right, thank you for tip." Rose warmly replied. "And this is Damon's very numerous great niece Scarlett Salvatore."

"It's nice to meet you both, maybe. What's going on Rose? Where's Trevor?" Slater asked and that's when things went very quiet not to mention awkward and Scarlett looked at the floor as if it was the most interesting thing in the world as Rose explained to Slater about te whole Trevor being dead, the Elijah and the doppelgänger thing.

"Wow… And you're sure Elijah's dead?" Slater questioned.

"Pretty sure he's beyond dead, I did after all kill him." Damon stated.

"Trevor was a good man; he helped me with my dissertation on sexual deviance in the baroque period. I was schooling for my Psych PhD."

"Slater's been in college since 74'" Rose explained.

"When I was turned, I have eighteen degrees, three masters and four PhD's."

"The point?" Damon demanded and Scarlett just nudged him in the ribs.

"What my dim witted and socially unstable Uncle means to say is why? I'm barely surviving high school and I'll probably do the college thing but after that my formal education is done and I can't imagine ever going back so why do you?" Scarlett asked.

"Well there is no point, as what should I be doing with my eternity? It's not like I can get an actual job but If your dim witted and socially unstable uncle has an answer, please tell him he's free to enlighten me." Slater quipped.

"Jokes aside Slater, we need your help. Is someone wanted to get in touch with Klaus, how would you hook him up?" Rose questioned.

"Craigslist."

"Really?" Damon questioned sceptically.

"Seriously. I respond to a personal ad to get sent to somebody who knows somebody who knows Elijah who's dead and that's where my connection ends." Slater said and Scarlett just frowned, this trip was turning into a complete waste of their bloody time.

"Just great..." Scarlett said in an annoyed tone of voice before walking off to get herself a shot of espresso and a muffin and when she returned the conversation had moved on to the curse, which just called Scarlett to roll her eyes in annoyance. She was bored of this rather quickly and wanted to go home and forget that this entire day had even happened.

"–Here's what I don't get; Elijah moved around during the day, which means the originals knew the secret of the day rings. Now why would Klaus want to lift the curse of the sun and the moon?" Damon questioned.

"To keep the werewolves from lifting it, if a vampire breaks the sun curse then the werewolves are stuck with the curse of the moon forever and vice versa." Salter replied.

"But werewolves are extinct…" Rose said and Scarlett chocked on a piece of her muffin as Slater replied and Damon had pat her on the back repeatedly and even then she had stop herself from laughing. How she wished she lived back in the days where she was unaware of the existence of werewolves. "What?"

"Not such a rumour, they actually exist." Damon revealed which caused Slater's face to light up like a kid on Christmas morning.

"Mystic Falls? God, I've got to visit this place, it sound awesome."

"No you really don't, the place sucks serious ass. Trust me I've lived there my entire life, there is nothing special so awesome doesn't even begin to describe it but can we stop the curse from being broken at all?" Scarlett said

"What do you mean?" Slater asked.

"Well if we make the moonstone useless, would it stop the curse from being broken?" Damon questioned.

"Yeah, probably but why would you want to do that?" Slater asked and Scarlett said nothing, she knew not to mention anything about knowing where the second doppelgänger was because that would lead several dozen vampires to Mystic Falls who would willing hand Elena over to Klaus in order to help him break the curse.

"Tell me how." Damon demanded.

"You think I'm gonna help you figure out how to do something that will piss of an original? And keeping them from walking in the sun? Your out of your damn mind!" Slater retorted.

Sensing that things were not going exactly well Scarlett decided to negotiate. "How about this Slater, you want to want to walk in the sun? No longer spend your days cooped up in here and sneaking around trying to avoid the sun? I can make that happen Slater if you help us."

What happened next went by so fast that Scarlett wasn't really sure what happened as one minute she was trying to bribe Slater with a lapis lazuli ring the next minute all the windows in the café broke and Slater and Rose' faces started burning because of the exposure and Scarlett looked outside to see if she could figure out what happened but there was no one there. But she was soon distracted by Damon calling her and turning back she followed him out of the café and back into the car park when he got into the back of the car with Rose and Scarlett climbed into the driver's seat. As she drove them back to Mystic Falls all Scarlett could hear was Rose' quiet sobs and how Klaus had to be the one responsible and how he was going to kill them all.

Scarlett sighed, Dr. Parker said she needed to keep her stress levels down and having the most feared original vampire coming after them was probably not the best way to go about that


	52. Chapter 52

"How can you seriously eat at a time like this? I've seen you eat four danishs in the space of twenty minutes." Matt questioned as he fidget on one of the hospital hard and cold plastic chairs, keeping his word he had come with Scarlett to the hospital and now they were just waiting in Dr. Parkers office, waiting for the man to arrive and whilst they did Scarlett was a Danish.

"I always eat when I come to the hospital, it's like I've been conditioned to eat… I associate the hospital with Dr. Parker and I associate him with a danish. After my dad died and I had my first little heart scare, I had to come here a lot but given what happened and the fact that I had already achieved my first 48 hour stay in the hospital I wasn't too fond of coming here but I had to. So to distract me from it my Uncle Zach would take me the bakery on the way and buy me a couple of danishs because they were my dad and I's favourite and I would eat them right up to when I would see Dr. Parker. Now it's gotten to the point where I have to have a Danish to go see Dr. Parker." Scarlett explained as she polished off her last danish and patted her stomach in appreciation.

"You don't talk him about him much with me."

"Who?" Scarlett questioned.

"Your dad, you've mentioned him a couple of time but only in passing and you don't talk about your mom that much unless your complaining about something to do with her." Matt pointed out.

Scarlett sighed. "My mom is a tricky subject I can never forgive her for walking and leaving us all those years ago but she trying her hardest to the parent she should have been so I have to give her credit although I don't really like her. You know what it's like to have an absent parents so I guess that's why I don't talk about her with you much and then with my dad, it's… well I don't know. Everyone in this town think of him as the crazy guy who killed himself and when I came back to school after being home schooled everyone in our class would always point and whisper so I don't talk him with anyone except for my family."

"You miss him." Matt noted.

"There's not a day that goes pass that I don't think of my dad. I know I have him on this high pedestal despite the fact he killed himself and left me but he was everything to me Matty and I've never gotten over losing him. It was like a part of me died the morning I found he killed himself." Scarlett quietly said.

"Tell me about him, I want to know about the guy who raised my best friend."

"He would have liked you, not just because you were my first friend but overall I think that my dad would have loved you and you would have loved him. My dad was very good with his hands which came in handy with a house like ours and he was around when I needed him and would drop anything and everything at a drop of a hat if I needed him. He made sure that I knew our family's history and our Italian heritage by making sure I learnt to cook at an early age not to mention learn how to play football. My memories of him aren't as great as they used to be but the one thing I can remember clearly was that he'd always have this goofy grin on his face and he'd always be so happy to see him. I loved him so much and I miss him all the time." Scarlett wearily said. It felt weird talking to Matt about her dad, it made her feel exposed but she guess that's what best friends talked about.

"I didn't know him but your dad must have been a good guy if he raised you." Matt said and moments after the words came out of his mouth Dr. Parker walked into his office and sat down behind his desk.

"Sorry I took so long Scarlett."

"It's no problem, Dr. Parker this is my best friend Matt Donovan he's going to tagging along with me on future appointments.

"A pleasure to meet you Matt." Dr. Parker said as he leant across his desk in order to shake Matt's hand before sitting back down in his chair, a sure sign that it was time to get down to business. "So we need to talk about what were going to do next because things aren't exactly looking too good at the moment Scarlett."

"Can we just give it a few more weeks?"

"Scarlett…"

"I know this is serious but I don't want the surgery or have you electrocute me in order for you to cure my AVNRT or be on pills for the rest of my life. Just give me a chance to sort this out, I will do whatever I need to do to get these palpitations under control, I will do anything even cut back on work just give me six weeks. If the tests don't show any improvement then I will let you do whatever you think is best. Please Dr. Parker…" Scarlett pleaded.

"This goes against everything but I will agree to your terms for now however I get one whiff that something is wrong then you'll be back in here before you can even say Robinson Crusoe, is that understood Scarlett?"

Scarlett nodded trying her best not to look extremely pleased with herself. But that didn't exactly last for long because after her how semi victory with Dr. Parker and work Scarlett came home to find Damon waiting for her, which was surprising as he had been playing buddies for a while and Scarlett chose not stay anything about it for now. She liked Rose but not enough that she wanted yet another vampire living under her roof.

"Red we need to talk." Damon stated as Scarlett walked through the front door.

"No your lady friend cannot move in and I wound much prefer it, well scratch that… you need to tell her that she needed to be wearing clothes when she's roaming around my house. Your bedroom is fine but not the rest of the house, I let the sorority chicks slide but that's because you were in that dark and creepy place at the time and your not anymore so get it under control." Scarlett said as she dropped her keys on the entry table and proceeded to talk into the living.

"It's not about that, you should probably sit down."

"I'd rather stand." Scarlett began as she realized that something was wrong if Damon was being this serious with her. "What's happened?"

"You know that I killed that vampire Elijah after he tried to kill Stefan and I." Damon questioned.

"I recall being told about it but go on…" Scarlett said taking a deep breath, she had a feeling she wasn't going to like what Damon was going to say to her. It was no doubt doing to be very bad.

"Well he's alive, I found that out first hand when I went to rescue Elena who had done off to Richmond with Rose on a suicide mission to hand herself off personally to Klaus. And whilst we're taking about stupid things, you know how Katherine managed to get the moonstone and how after what she tried at the masquerade ball I trapped her in the tomb?" Damon began.

"Yes I do…" Scarlett said trying her best to stay calm, it was no good her losing her temper over something that small.

"Well we decided to go get the moonstone back from her and remove the curse from it, like Slater said no curse in the stone then doppelgänger can't be killed but there was a tad problem. The younger Gilbert jumped the gun and foolishly went into the tomb along to get it from Katherine and she used him as a chew toy until dear old Stefan stupidly went to get him out and got himself trapped in the tomb with Katherine in the process."

Now Scarlett had a reason to lose her temple, after everything that they had gone through with the tomb and almost being locked in there forever and dying, she would have thought that Stefan would have avoided that tomb like it was the plague. Turns out he was even more stupider that she originally thought. Scarlett could her heart get faster but she grabbed onto a table and took several deep breaths. "Okay, thank you for telling me."

"You're not going to get mad?" Damon asked slowly as he was expecting Scarlett to blow an actual gasket hence why he had taken a few steps back when h dropped the Stefan bombshell but apparently there was nothing to be afraid of. Her fiery Salvatore temper was seemingly in check for now…

"What is the point? What is the point in anything anymore Uncle Damon." Scarlett wearily said as she slowly sat down on a couch, despite her not getting angry it was still a lot for her to take in.

Damon crossed the room and knelt down in front of Scarlett. "What's up Red? Something's wrong with you I can tell… So spill, what's the problem and don't even think about lying to me about it?"

She couldn't tell him, not the whole truth anyway as Scarlett knew Damon, she knew he'd freak about it and do something she wouldn't like so she to play it off. Damon could never find out that her condition was getting worse because of him and Stefan so she had to lie, for all their sakes. "N-Nothing, it's nothing… I just been having a bad few days and I feel lonely and I want my dad, he always good at the whole cheering me up thing."

"Red, what have I told you? As long as I'm around your not going to be alone, the two of us are cut from the same cloth. I told you that you would always have me so cheer the bloody hell up and let's do something, this whole day has been tiresome and everyone has been trying my patience so I was rather hoping to spend time with my least annoying person." Damon said in a rather dramatic manner.

"Least annoying? I'm your favourite person ever Uncle Damon!" Scarlett retorted with a small laugh.

"That's what I said, my least annoying person…"


	53. Chapter 53

_Hey all! We are officially half way through season two, which is a good thing because i was i really want to hurry up and be done with it so i can get on to season three and all the originals and i know a lot of you are looking forward to it too! Anyway i have a new and quite long chapter for you all today but before we get to that, i've been thinking about doing a kind of side story to this but it'll be set before the VD started. I know that a lot of you love Scarlett and so i was thinking about doing another story of how Scarlett became Scarlett. Sort of one shots about her life starting with her being born and her growing up in Mystic Falls, which will let you see how Scarlett was as a kid and how she grew up with this whole vampire thing with Zach and her father Gabriel - who will make an appearance in this story but not for a good ten to fifteen chapters - and how his death changed her and how Scarlett along with Zach coped with that. Let me know what you think? Because if enough of you think it's a good idea i will do it and i promise there will be appearances by both Damon and Stefan. So let me know and of course enjoy xx_

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"Yo Red, you ready?"

Scarlett finished zipping up her hoody and once she straightened out her ponytail she nodded and proceeded to pick up the bag that was sitting by her feet. It had been two days since Stefan had gone and trapped himself in the tomb with Katherine and Scarlett had finally calmed down enough to go see him and so her and Damon were taking a care basket or rather a care bag with them. Everything they thought a person or rather a vampire would need when trapped in an enchanted tomb with their evil ex. "Yep, you got the blood?"

"Of course."

The two of them set off and most of the journey was in silence which suited Scarlett just fine because she wasn't sure what to say to Damon as she felt incredibly bad not to mention guilty for lying to him, which was a new one for her. Scarlett had never felt bad about lying to him or Stefan before and to frankly honest she didn't like it very much given that most of her life was built on lies but she had to remind herself that this was a necessary lie. As guilty as she felt, she couldn't let Damon or Stefan find out the truth about her heart, it was better for them all if the only people who knew were herself, Matt and Dr. Parker. Ten minutes after they had left the boarding house the two of them arrived at the opening of the tomb.

"Hello! Anyone home?" Damon called out much to Scarlett's bemusement as they knew someone was in there given that once a vampire went in there, they couldn't get back out and moments later Stefan arrived at the tomb entrance and was followed by Katherine who stood off in the distance.

"Where's Elena?" Stefan asked and Scarlett just rolled her eyes.

"What? No, hello and how are you? It's good to see you and thank you for coming to see me?" Scarlett questioned and Stefan just sighed and Damon just shrugged his shoulders. It seemed like Stefan wasn't exactly in the mood for pleasantries and Scarlett couldn't blame him as she wasn't usually and probably even more so if she was stuck where he currently was with Katherine of all people. "Don't worry Elena is fine, she's at her house and she's not going anywhere anytime soon, literally…"

"What are you talking about?" Stefan asked as Scarlett and Damon both shared amused looks.

"Well after her little attempted suicide mission, I had a little conversation with the witch and the younger Gilbert and we thought it be best if Elena was contained for a while in order to stop her from doing anything stupid Bonnie cast a spell on Elena and she's stuck in her house just like your stuck in here." Damon explained.

"You trapped her in the house?" Stefan slowly asked.

Damon nodded rather pleased with himself. "It's for the best. Trust me. Elena is on a martyr tear that rivals your greatest hits. You should be glad the witch and I are getting along. We brought you this."

"Care package: candles, lanterns and lunch." Scarlett stated as she made her way to the tomb entrance and threw the bag that she had brought with her into the tomb. Although she could go into the tomb without getting stuck, she didn't want to make the same mistake Jeremy did and end up being Katherine's personal blood bank. Scarlett had been in that tomb once and that was more than enough for her, she wasn't going to step back into it again anytime soon. After she did that Damon held out a bottle of blood for Stefan.

"Give that to me and I'm just gonna have to share it with her. " Stefan pointed out referring to Katherine who was still there listening in to the conversations and Scarlett looked at Damon that was the one thing that they hadn't thought about.

"It can be your working lunch Damon" Scarlett figured, if Stefan wouldn't take it and they certainty wasn't going to hand it to Katherine then Damon could drink it in order for it not to go to waste as Scarlett knew he was never going to turn down some nice freshly squeezed blood.

"That's true, thanks Red…"

"You three are surprisingly calm considering Klaus will hunt you down and kill you if you mess with his little plan." Katherine noted.

"Maybe but your forgetting that Klaus has been hunting you down for five hundred years and wants your head on a platter. So what if he kills us? It won't be bad as bad as what he probably has in store for you." Scarlett quipped with a bright smile which caused Katherine to scowl at her.

"I've been dead before. I got over it." Damon said as he nodded in agreement before turning his attention back to Stefan. "Once we deal with this moonstone, we'll figure a way to get you out.

"Don't worry about me. Just make sure Elena's safe. " Stefan stated and Damon made his way to leave but Scarlett stayed put and eyes Stefan carefully. She wanted to have a little word with her dearest uncle before she had to leave to go to work.

"Go ahead and check on Elena, keep me update with everything that's going on I'll be at work but I'll keep my phone on me." Scarlett told Damon and without having to be told twice Damon took his leave and Scarlett turned her attention over to Stefan. "I'm so going to kick your ass when you get out of here, you know that right?"

"I did." Stefan said with a small smile.

"It's not funny Uncle Stefan! What the hell were you thinking? Have you lost your bloody mind or something? You know what don't answer that because it will just end up winding me up even further than I already am. So just hold tight, like Uncle Damon said we'll figure out a way to get you out and keep vampyra over there in." Scarlett said directing the latter part of the conversation to Katherine.

"Honestly Scarlett I'm fine, just focus on Elena–" Stefan began.

"I'm not talking about Elena, I need your help with something."

"What?"

"The car." Scarlett simply said as she knew Stefan would instantly know what she was talking about. There was one thing that all the Salvatore men had in common, their love of vintage cars, Damon drove a mustang, Stefan had a vintage Porsche which he rarely drove and in the garage covered away was Scarlett's Grandpa Edward's 1954 silver Jaguar XK120 roadster with red leather seats. The car had in the family for over fifty years and had been passed down the years and would belong to Scarlett when she turned eighteen. It was a classic and car and Scarlett wanted it to stay that was and as such it was off limits to everyone. Scarlett only had to tell Damon once that if she caught him looking at the car let alone driving it then she would slash his tires and vandalize within an inch of it's life before turning it into a barbeque. He got the point.

"What's wrong with it?" Stefan questioned.

"The engine has died and I would get Matt to look–" Scarlett began.

"Ah! Matt, I had forgotten about him… Tell me how is he Scarlett?" Katherine began.

"Vampyra shut up, if I wanted you to speak I would say bark so pipe down I'm trying to have a conversation here!" Scarlett snapped before turning her attention back to Stefan. "Like I was saying I would get Matt to look at it I thought it was best if I didn't and I'm not getting some mechanic who will over charge me to fix it. So I need you to fix it, when you get out of here of course. I need that car up and running."

"Sure." Stefan replied with a small chuckle.

"Well I've got work today and I need to go back to the house and get my car so I'm going to take off now but I'll try and stop round later, if I'm feeling nice I might bring you some reading material as you must be bored out of your damn mind being stuck with the wicked bitch of the tomb all day long."

"I heard that!" Katherine stated.

"You were meant too!" Scarlett retorted in a sing song tone of voice.

"I'll be fine, now go to work and do something normal." Stefan advised and Scarlett waved goodbye to him before leaving, after going home to get her car Scarlett made her way to work to enjoy one the two normal things she had left in her life, work and Matt although the time were kind of off at the moment. After the big scary talk with Dr. Parker, Matt was overly worried about Scarlett and making sure she wasn't straining herself at work. Causing Scarlett to joke that she won't have a heart attack by carrying a couple of plates, she thought that was funny but Matt didn't.

As she pocket a tip of a departing patron Scarlett saw Tyler Lockwood come in and normal she wouldn't be fazed by this but he was a werewolf and tonight there was going to be a full moon. Scarlett watched as he acted all jumpy and her eyes met Alaric's as he seemed to notice this two as Tyler met Caroline and the two of them left pretty sharpish and Caroline gave the two of them this cryptic look. Something was going on. "Scarlett…"

"I'm on it Ric, don't worry." Scarlett said as she made her way out of the grill and jogged over to Caroline and Tyler who were walking towards Caroline's car and it seemed like they were going somewhere. Scarlett knew that Damon had left Caroline in charge of dealing with Tyler but that was all she knew. "Caroline! Hold up!"

"Scarlett? Are you okay?" Caroline questioned.

"Yeah I'm fine I just need to borrow you for a second." Scarlett began before turning her attention to Tyler. "You don't mind do you Lockwood?"

"Not at all Salvatore." Tyler said replying with the same fake sincerity that Scarlett had been used not that Scarlett cared as she had dragged Caroline off before Tyler had even finished speaking.

"Look I know there's something going on with wolf boy and it doesn't seem good so spill Caroline." Scarlett began.

"Some woman came to the Lockwood mansion saying that she was a friend of Mason's from Florida, she thought he might be here as he she can't get through to him and then Mayor Lockwood said that Mason was back in Florida and now they knowing something is up and Tyler told me that when he was leaving his mom was on the phone with my mom; she's reporting Mason as a missing person Scarlett!" Caroline stated and Scarlett swore under her breath.

"Okay, don't worry about it! Just do whatever is your doing with Tyler and be careful Caroline, it's a full moon tonight and werewolf bites can kill vampires." Scarlett warned before jogging back into the grill and over to where Alaric was still seated.

"You find out anything?" Alaric questioned.

"Yeah I did and we have a problem…" Scarlett replied and proceeded to tell Ric everything that Caroline had told her and he said he'd take care of it as she couldn't exactly get up and leave in the middle of the shift.

That turned out to be a very big mistake on Scarlett's part as Alaric called Damon and the two of them concocted a plan to get some answers from 'Jules' the mystery woman who they suspected of being a werewolf too. They figured they scam her and give her a drink with Wolfsbane and problem solved but she clocked them and now she had told Damon he was 'marked' which didn't exactly bode well on a night of a full moon. So the two of them had wasted the entire day with a stupid plan and ended pissing a werewolf on today of all days and Scarlett knew she should have never trusted those two. After all this went down

Scarlett's shift pretty much had ended and as she made her way to leave Alaric stopped her. "You need to go home."

"That's where I was planning on going Ric." Scarlett said.

"Damon is pissed off and riled up about that threat from Jules and he may do something stupid so you need to go home and make sure he stays there, lock the doors and the windows and take some of this." Alaric replied as he took Scarlett's hand and placed some Wolfsbane in it.

Not needing to be told twice Scarlett hurried home and when she got back she found Damon in the process of locking the front door and so she went about locking the back doors and shutting the windows, starting with the kitchen and working her through the house. Seconds after she walked into the living room Scarlett swore she could see something outside and before she could open her mouth to say anything, one of the windows smashed as a wolf leaped into the room. And Scarlett was face to face with a bloody werewolf and she was kind of freaked out of her bloody mind considering how quickly her heart was beating. She wanted to yell for help but the werewolf would try and hurt Damon given that werewolves were enemies of vampires and their bites could kill a vampire.

"Red!"

Scarlett realized that Damon must have heard the smashing glass and he would know what was going. "No don't come! I'm fine…"

She should have known Damon would ignore her because as she tried to slowly walk away from the wolf trying as hard as she could not to piss it off, Damon ran into the room followed by Rose of all people and Scarlett was pulled away by Damon and pushed towards the front door by Damon who had picked up a sword of all thing. What happened after that went by so quickly that Scarlett had barely anytime to follow, the wolf was growling and headed straight for Damon until Rose pushed him out of the way. Scarlett could only watch in sheer terror as the wolf attacked Rose until Damon stabbed it and the wolf took off.

"How bad is it?" Damon demanded as he knelt down on the floor to look at Rose's wound and Scarlett slowly made her way back towards them, she couldn't believe what had happened. The wolf was here for Damon. It went to go get Damon but Rose pushed him out of the way and allowed it to attack her. Werewolf bites were lethal to vampires, that meant that Rose was going to die…

Rose bit her lip and Scarlett anted to cry. "|It hurts…"

"Wait, it's healing." Damon said

"Oh my God, I thought a werewolf bite was fatal and I thought… " Rose began getting hysterical and Scarlett immediately felt a wave of relief at Rose being okay and how the werewolf bite thing was only a myth and she opened her mouth to say something but nothing would come out. And then the pain came, the sheering pain that she was so familiar with came back and Scarlett gripped her chest with one hand and the door frame with her other hand in an effort to stay upright but it didn't work. The pain got worse and Scarlett's legs gave out and she fell with a bang onto her side

"Red!" Damon yelled as he raced over to Scarlett and attempted to help her sit up. "Take my hand Red, take it and squeeze and do that thing you do to stop your heart. C'mon you can do it."

Even though she was pretty certain it wouldn't work Scarlett tried it any and it worked for a little while but then the pain got worse and Scarlett was finding it hard to concentrate and stay awake, she was going to lose consciousness soon. "I-Ice…and w-water…" She wheezed out and Damon nodded in agreement.

"Rose go to the kitchen and in the sink there is a plastic washing up bowl, I need you to fill it up with cold water and ice, NOW!" Damon barked and Rose took of and whilst she did that, he turned his attention back to Scarlett. "It'll be okay Red, you'll see just keep squeezing my hand."

Scarlett didn't have the strength to nod as she was going in and out, the last thing she remembered was Rose coming back in and Damon as saying something but she couldn't hear it as everything was hazy. Then the next everything thing was freezing cold and Scarlett couldn't move but there was something stopping her from doing and after about twenty second Scarlett was able to move her head around and she felt whatever was holding her head down move and seconds later she lifter her head up. The ice cold water was like a slap to the face for Scarlett which made her fully alert now no to mention slowed her heart back down.

Scarlett said nothing at first and instead looked around, Damon had a concerned look on his face and Rose was looking pretty freaked out herself and once she felt up to it, Scarlett slapped Damon across the face. "W-what is it with you and pissing werewolves off?" Scarlett heavily panted as she regained her breath, first it was Mason and now it was Jules.

"Bitch!" Damon yelled as he rubbed his cheek, he had to admit that hurt.

"Douche bag!" Scarlett retorted.

Damon chose not to respond to this as instead he pulled Scarlett into a tight bear hug and at first Scarlett did nothing but then she hugged him back. She had to admit that it was pretty close call there and it scared the hell out of them both. And insulting each other was about the closest the two of them would ever get to I'm sorry I scared you given how abnormal they were. But it didn't matter too much to Scarlett, the only thing that mattered was that were alive and lived to insult each other another day. Everything else could wait an hour or two.


	54. Chapter 54

_So a bit of a head's up someone figures out Scarlett's big bad secret and they'll find out why Scarlett is so desperate to keep it a secret from Damon and Stefan not to mention she finally acknowledges a big vocal point of the VD... This chapter is a bit shorter compared to the last one but don't worry the next ones will be way longer as i plan on chapter 60 lining up with the end of season two so i can move forward to season three. And to answer a review by Kalee, currently the story will continue to follow the show but i do change occasional things and do chapters that are completely original and with regards to season four at the moment i believe i will follow it but it all depends on where it goes and whether i like because if i don't i may branch out, it all depends... until then enjoy xx  
_

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Stefan was out of the tomb, apparently Elijah had some witches lower the spell on the tomb to let him out after making an deal with Elena; if she stopped trying to get herself killed then he would make sure everyone she cared about lived and then he would use Elena to draw out the Big Bad Klaus and then kill him. It was kind of a weird thing but Scarlett went along with it as Elijah did get Stefan out of the tomb and then compelled Katherine to stay in there. Which was a shocker, a vampire being able to compel another vampire? They didn't know how but they put it down to Elijah being an original vampire. So there was good news but then there was also the bad news. Rose was dying. It turns out that the myth about the werewolf bite being lethal to vampires was true but after she was bitten, it healed and so they all thought she was fine but then the wound came back and it was slowly getting worse. So Scarlett was essentially watching someone she knew die, someone who she knew and who liked. Rose had grown on her and she was a good kind of influence of Damon, which just made this even more harder.

"You're a very talented pianist Scarlett." Rose said as she sat on the sofa in the library reading a book whilst Scarlett sat quietly played the piano, she had been on Rose duty for the morning which she didn't mind as before Rose this vampire who had kidnap Elena but then she had become a friend of some sort ever since she jumped in the way of the werewolf Jules to save Damon. "How long have you been playing?"

"Just over twelve years now, I started not long after I was five and had lessons up until I was fourteen and didn't need them anymore. I don't intend to actually make a career of it, i play simply for enjoyment as it helps relax me given everything that goes on in my life on a daily basis." Scarlett stated.

"Can I ask you something Scarlett?" Rose wearily began.

"Sure go right ahead and ask away Rose, my life is pretty much an open book these days so nothing is off bounds…" Scarlett quietly joked although it was kind of true because a lot of people knew about the secrets she had been trying to keep for years and it got to the point where she wasn't even bothered by it too much. Because she was the only sane in that bunch of people.

"You do realize that both Damon and Stefan are–"

"–In love with Elena? Oh I'm perfectly aware of it and have been for a good while now." Scarlett idly said.

"And you're not bothered by it?"

"Uncle Damon and Uncle Stefan were turned into vampires because they were both in love with Katherine Pierce and that almost destroyed them and a hundred and forty six years later they are both in love with descendent doppelgänger. I've been bothered by this since uncle Damon came back because I knew he'd find out about Elena, right now the situation is slightly concerning so I'm keeping my eye on it and not saying anything but when I get an inclination things are changing I'll intervene. My family comes before anyone else in this town and I don't have history repeat itself by having a Petrova doppelgänger destroy my family again." Scarlett quietly answered.

"The other day after the werewolf had gone… Something happened to your heart, what was it?"

"Yeah, it's kind of confusing my heart is seemingly healthy but I have this condition that is called Atrioventricular Nodal Re-entrant Tachycardia or simply AVNRT it means that I have an irregular heartbeat because the impulses that make control my heartbeats don't work the way they should and quite often or not my heart will start beating quicker than it should I get these palpations like other night." Scarlett explained.

"Wow… that sounds intense."

"It is but it's perfectly okay Rose, it's manageable and I just have to avoid things in order to not set my heart off." Scarlett said with a small laugh.

"How long have you had it?" Rose questions.

"Since I was eight years old and on May 9th it'll be ten years to the day I was diagnosed with my condition." Scarlett said and she had to pause as that information sunk in, up until now she hadn't realized that it was on a decade since her father had died and she had found out about her heart condition. It seemed like it was a life time ago, so many thing had happened since them.

"Is often like how it was the other night? With Damon putting your head under cold water."

"Not usually, I can get my heart to slow down most of the time." Scarlett admitted, for reasons unknown to her but she soon realized that she'd have to be careful about what she told Rose because the last thing she need was Damon's playmates finding out, dying or not dying.

"So it's been getting worse then…" Rose began.

"No, it's just last night was pretty intense given that it was my first time seeing a werewolf who had come especially to my home to attack my boneheaded Uncle who just can't help but piss humans and supernatural being off alike, it's in his nature and then seeing you bet attacked was a bit too much and BOOM! My heart got a bit too excited that Damon had to use the ice and water to slow it back down to it's normal irregular beat." Scarlett said lying and somewhat telling the truth.

"Your lying Scarlett…"

"No I'm not Rose!" Scarlett quickly retorted.

"I saw you last night and you were terrified out of your damn mind and that was a regular thing that you've been experiencing for ten years then you'd be used to be but your not used to it, which tells me that it's a recent thing and you said that stress sets it off. And I doubt anything is more stressful then living in a town like this with your two vampire Uncles." Rose stated.

"Rose you can't ever adjust or get used to the feeling that your heart is seconds away from jumping out of your chest, it's painful and it always has been. There is no adjusting to what I have, you just have to live with it and I have been doing that." Scarlett said.

"Do they know?" Rose questioned and Scarlett just feigned ignorance as to what Rose was asking her. "Do Damon and Stefan know that your heart is getting worst?"

Scarlett didn't say anything for a while because this was the last thing she ever wanted to come out but she knew Rose wasn't going to let this go. "No, they don't because it's none of their business, it's my body not theirs and it's going to stay that way Rose besides I'm dealing with it so it's fine…"

"You have to tell them Scarlett."

"No I can't Rose, I can't tell them the truth and neither can you. You cannot tell them about this." Scarlett said trying her best not to raise her voice because if she did there was a chance that Damon or Stefan would hear her and she wanted to avoid that if possible. They had enough things on their plate without them being overprotective and wrapping her in bubble wrap. She wasn't Elena; she knew what she was doing.

"Why don't you want to tell them Scarlett? They are your family, unless… they are the reason your heart is getting worse." Rose began adding all the pieces together and Scarlett could even look at her. "I'm right aren't I?"

"Perhaps." Scarlett feebly said as she bit her lip in order to not start crying about this.

"Scarlett…"

"I've had this condition since I was eight years old and between that time and last summer I had maybe about fifteen attacks and they were minor one. Since Uncle Damon and Uncle Stefan came home I'm on twenty one and I can't fix them as easily as I used to because what the doctor taught me to do when I have a palpitation doesn't work anymore. My heart is getting worse and my doctor wants to give me medication and cut me open if these attacks continue the way they are! I can't tell Uncle Stefan and Uncle Damon that… How can I tell them that they are making my heart worse? They are my family and I can't tell the people I love that, it will kill the both of them." Scarlett stated with a small sniffle.

"They care about you Scarlett, they'd want to know that you were sick especially Damon, he thinks the world of you despite the fact he likes to pretend otherwise." Rose began.

"Hence why I can't tell them, if I do it will change everything and after what we've been through we're finally getting to some kind of stable place as a family. So please Rose, you cannot tell them. I'm doing this to protect them."

"You really love them, don't you?" Rose quipped.

"Yes I do, the two of them drive me up the wall but they are the only family I have and they kind of don't make it easy not to lose tem although I'd prefer it if they didn't know that as it would give Uncle Damon's ego a boost which it doesn't need." Scarlett laughed.

"– Speaking about me?"

Scarlett looked up from the piano to see Damon strolling into the libaray. "Just talking about your abnormally large ego, so nothing new."

"It that so?" Damon questioned as he looked to Rose for confirmation and Scarlett looked at her too silently pleading with her to go along and not tell Damon what they had been talking about.

"Afraid so, Scarlett and I were bonding over it." Rose replied and Scarlett took a mental sigh of relief. That was way too close for comfort…


	55. Chapter 55

_So first things first sorry for a lack of Stefan he will be returning shortly and he along with Damon will find out about Scarlett's heart in the fifty seventh or fifty eight chapter and there will be a bit of a time jump from this to the last dance episode but i promise you it will be worth it. And i MUST stress this, Scarlett WILL NOT be the one to tell Damon and Stefan about her heart, because i'm close to hitting a hundred thousand words and you've all ben lovely as per usual i will try who will reveal that it's MATT! He reveals the big secret in order to 'save' Scarlett in a manner of speaking - but don't read too much into that but anywho enjoy xx  
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Rose had died. Damon had killed her in order to spare her from anymore pain and now he was shaking up with tv reporter called Andie and things in Mystic Falls were going from bad to worse. Namely it was on the werewolf front and the Elijah front put there were two new witches in town who were up to something not to mention John Gilbert was back in town with a way to kill an original. It was all very messy and complicated and just giving Scarlett a major headache, she literally just wanted to get away from it all and go away. Unfortunately that wasn't going to happen as Damon was unfortunately dragging her along to the Historical Society's tea party because Elijah was there pretending to be a visiting author researching small towns so Damon wanted to go and scope things out and with Stefan off somewhere with Elena, that meant she had to o.

The only reason Scarlet wasn't kicking up a fuss about this was because she was pretty sure Damon wasn't over this Rose thing so she went along, even submitted to Damon's request of putting on a dress without any use of sarcasm. And when they arrived they had to go greet Mrs. Or rather Mayor Lockwood as she was now known as much to Scarlett's dismay. "Damon!"

"Carol." Damon replied with less enthusiasm as Mayor Lockwood as the two of them kissed on the cheek and Scarlett just rolled her eyes, she wanted to see who this big bad vampire was and be over with it already.

"What a surprise!" Mayor Lockwood began before turning to a tall dark haired gentleman beside her. "Elijah I want you to meet Damon Salvatore and his cousin Scarlett, their family is one of Mystic Falls' founding families."

"Such a pleasure to meet you." Damon says and the edges of sarcasm are blatantly obvious to everyone apart from Mayor Lockwood who was always oblivious to everything that went on around her.

"No. Pleasure's mine." Elijah begins as him and Damon shake hands as Carol left before Elijah turned his attention over to Scarlett who had to admit that he was very good looking in an older guy who was a billion years old not to mention charming as he took Scarlett's hand and placed a kiss. "It's very nice to meet you Miss Salvatore."

Scarlett couldn't help but start laughing and Damon hit her on the back and she responded by stamping on his foot before turning back to Elijah. "Sorry I just don't get called Miss Salvatore that often, well no one calls me that at all. It's either Scarlett or waitress or my favourite the weird Salvatore girl."

"Red?"

"What?" Scarlett says with a roll with her eyes.

"Run off for a minute and give Elijah and I a moment talk." Damon said glaring at her and Scarlett just glared right off before walking away, she had no idea why he had made her come here with just to send her away. It was all so baffling not to mention a waste of her time, so she'd go and find something to do. For once she had the day of work so she decided to go back home and do something there. As Scarlett made her way out she ran into Alaric who was with John Gilbert.

"Hey, where you going?" Alaric questioned.

"Oh hey Ric, Evil Spawn back there told me to take a hike and I don't need to be told twice so can you give the moron a ride back to the house because I'd rather not wait around to drive him home?" Scarlett said as she used her thumb to motion to Damon who along with Elijah was making their way to the mayor's office.

"Sure thing."

"Hello Scarlett."

"Hello John, Goodbye John." Scarlett said as she made her way out of the Mayor's house as quick as her feet could go because it was not her favourite place to be in the world and as soon as she got home Scarlett stripped out her dress and got changed into a t-shirt and shorts and instead of relaxing she set about cleaning the house because that's what she did. Stefan did it occasionally and the closest thing to cleaning Damon got was winding up the grandfather clock and making sure blood didn't get on the carpet. And given the size of the house it took a while as Damon seemed to think of Scarlett as his personal maid.

And several hours later Damon along with his 'bestie' Alaric both returned to the house to have their little bonding session over booze and little lord Damon requested that Scarlett go to the store to pick up some coffee as they were running low, so she figured that she might as well go food shopping whilst she was it so she went to the kitchen to check what was needed but as she did there was a loud crash and the sound of a struggle and making her way back to the living room Scarlett saw Alaric lying on the floor seemingly dead and Damon too was lying on the floor surrounded by Jules and what Scarlett took to be several other werewolves who were all armed with various weapons. They hadn't seen her but Damon did.

"RUN!" Damon mouthed and nodding Scarlett ran back to the kitchen and escaped through the back door to the garage where her car, and climbing in she started her engine and drove away as fast as she could. She knew she needed help but Alaric was done, Stefan was over an hour away and Bonnie not to mention Caroline were dealing with Luka Martin so there was no one and even Katherine was still in the tomb. And there was no one to help her but it then it came to Scarlett, there was someone who could take on a bunch of werewolves and survive and she was hoping that they'd be where she hoped they were.

Fifteen minutes later Scarlett found herself knocking on the door of the Lockwood Mansion and not surprisingly Carol Lockwood answered. "Scarlett, what brings you here so late… If it's Tyler your looking for he's not here."

"No I'm not, is that writer Elijah still here?" Scarlett questioned.

"Yes, he'll be staying with us whilst he does the research for his book."

"Can I speak to him it's important!?" Scarlett said and Mrs. Lockwood obliged and let her in and led Scarlett to the living room where she found Elijah sitting down on a couch and reading a book.

"Elijah you have a visitor." Mrs. Lockwood said before taking off.

"Scarlett Salvatore, now to what do I owe this pleasure?" Elijah questioned.

"I need your help, Damon is in trouble well scratch that he's doing to be killed if you don't help me and I know your not his biggest fan and I know the feeling is mutual but he will die if you don't come with me. I know you made some deal with Elena not to harm the people she cared about if she stopped trying to get herself killed and this isn't a part of your deal but please Elijah. They are at my house and they will not hesitate to kill Damon and I can't lose him. I need your help. You're the only one I knew who could help us." Scarlett pleaded.

"My deal Elena with does not extend–" Elijah began.

"I know that your deal doesn't extend to saving Damon from trouble of his own making but he is my family, he is one of the few people I have left in the world and I can't lose him and even if you don't want to save him, you should know–"

"I'll do it." Elijah said taking Scarlett by surprise.

"Really?"

"Yes. I find you oddly fascinating given that you live with your dysfunctional vampire relatives in somewhat peace and I admire your determination to save your family even if it is Damon of all people to be fascinating not to mention you seem to be a rather honest person." Elijah informed Scarlett.

"Umm… Thanks, I'll have to drive us back to the boarding house and you should know that it's the werewolves that I'm told you warned to leave town, their the ones the house and well I think their looking for the moonstone as well as getting revenge on Damon, he has a bit of tendency to piss people off." Scarlett explained and Elijah just nodded in understanding before motioning for Scarlett to go ahead and he followed her out of the house and climbed into the passenger seat of her car.

"Are you sure we'll get there in time?" Elijah questioned.

Scarlett had to pause in order to think how she answered the question as she pulled sped down the Lockwood's driveway. "Damon killed one of their own and has pissed a few of them off recently, I'm hoping that he'll still be alive by the time."

"I assume that Damon isn't your cousin." Elijah said.

"Nope he's my great, great, great, great, great Uncle give or take a great or two, I'm not exactly sure but I do know that he is my relative. One of the few I have left unfortunately." Scarlett wearily said as she sped up a bit further, the speed limit wasn't really a concern with her at the moment.

"How so?"

"My mother walked out when I was three years old and my father killed himself was I was eight and then my gracious Uncle Damon killed my other living relative, my Uncle Zach days before I turned seventeen. I only have him and Uncle Stefan now, I used to hate them for being vampires but now I can't imagine my life without them. I can't live with them and I can't live without them now." Scarlett honestly admitted.

"You've known about vampires for a long time." Elijah noted.

"I can't remember a time where I haven't know about vampires, there isn't a time where I wasn't aware of the existence of vampire. I've always know and I keep the secret not to mention I've picked up a few other secrets." Scarlett revealed

"Why?"

"My family. They are and will always be my main motivation for keeping the secrets that I do. Anyone find out the truth then they may try and taken my uncles away from me and I don't want that to happen. We've become an odd sort of family, we take care of each other in our messed up ways and I don't want to lose that. Everyone else can form a que after that if they're not on my hit list like Carol Lockwood."

"You don't like her?"

That's putting it lightly, I hate the woman and the feeling is completely mutual." Scarlett said as she pulled up quietly in the driveway and turned off her engine and climbed out of the car.

"Will I need to be invited in?" Elijah questioned pointing to the front door and Scarlett just shook her head as they made their way to the front door and Scarlett slowly pushed it open careful not make any noise and as they walked in they heard voices coming from the library so the two of them made their way in that direction.

"…Where's the moonstone?" Scarlett heard Jules says.

Damon scoffed. "Get over it, honey. You're never gonna get it."

"You looking for this?" Elijah questioned as him and Scarlett walked into the library and saw that Damon had this weird collar device round his neck and was chained to a chair. All the werewolves turned to look at Elijah as he twirled the moonstone in his hands before putting on the table in front oh him. "Go ahead take it, but you don't touch the girl."

Scarlett assumed that the girl was her and she was vaguely touched in a way and she watched as one werewolf made his way towards Elijah but the vampire was too quick and ripped the werewolf's heart out before proceeding to do the same to two other. During this time Jules managed to escape and then there was one little werewolf, crouched down on the floor trying unsuccessfully.

"What about you, sweetheart, hmm? You want to take a shot? Yes, no, yes?" Elijah questioned before turning his attention to Damon. "Where's the girl?"

"I don't know." Damon said

"It doesn't really matter." Elijah said in a bored tone of voice before punching the lone werewolf squarely in the face no doubt killing him at the same time before proceeding to make his way over to Damon and removing all the chains. "So you realize this is the third time I've saved your life now?

"Yes I do, so thanks I guess."

"I didn't do this for you, I did it for your niece for some reason she thought you were worth saving." Elijah said as he made his way out of the library, picking up the moonstone on his way out but Scarlett wasn't paying attention instead she was focusing on the dead bodies, the several hearts on the floor and the blood stained antique carpet.

"Get yourself sorted and then get that rug into the kitchen, I may be able to save it." Scarlett wearily said to Damon as she left the library in order to catch up with Elijah before he left. "Hey Elijah! Do you need me to give you a ride back to the Lockwood's?"

"No thank you, I'll be able to make my own back, I apologize for the mess I've made in your home, dealing with werewolves can be very messing."

"It's fine, I'm used to cleaning up after the supernatural attack the house… but thank you for what you did. I really appreciate it." Scarlett began and Elijah smiled at her before making his way out of the front door and Scarlett turned and sighed and headed back to the kitchen as she a blood stained antique carpet to deal with.

And twelve hours later she had managed to do so and she was sick of looking at that damn carpet and scrubbing Damon's blood out of all of it but there was no way she was going to throw the rug away, it belonged to her Nonna Helene and Scarlett would rather kiss Carol Lockwood's ass that throw that rug away. Looking over the rug Scarlett sighed in appreciation over getting in clean, not that it was done she could go upstairs and get some rest and Scarlett had to say she deserved it because during she had also helped Damon clean up the mess from last night although she refused to touch any of the hearts or dead bodies. It had been a long night given that everyone else was busy too, Elena and Stefan were attacked by some werewolves including Tyler and Bonnie, Caroline and Jeremy had found out from Luca that Elijah was going to allow Elena to die in the sacrifice. So it had been a long night

"Ah Red, there you are!"

Scarlett sighed as Damon strolled into the kitchen, he wanted something from here and she knew she wasn't going to like it. "What is it now Uncle Damon? I'm about to go to bed…"

"Umm well first thing Tyler Lockwood has run away and your going to have to change your plans as I'm hosting a dinner party tonight and I need you to come up with a menu and cook it." Damon said flashing Scarlett a grin.

"FUCK OFF!" Scarlett loudly stated.

"Red I need you to do this no questions asked." Damon said placing his hands on his shoulders and looking her in the eyes.

"You can't compel me."

"I know I can't but I need you to do this and I'll explain it all to later but just make yourself a cup of coffee, get in the shower, clean yourself up and take a two hour nap then come back down and start cooking." Damon said and Scarlett sighed she was too exhausted to argue with him so she went ahead with it all and several hours later Scarlett was bringing the food out of the kitchen and into the dining room.

"Don't come and help Damon, after all I am the one whose spent the entire afternoon cooking this damn food." Scarlett sneered as she put the side dishes onto the table before turning to Rick, John, Andie, Jenna and Elijah. "I'd apologise for my lack of manners, if I had any to begin with."

"–Wait? You're doing this all by yourself Scarlett?" Jenna questioned.

"Damon could have cooked but he chose not to so duty fell to me and my beloved cousin thinks that because I spend my day waiting on other people he can turn me into his personal slave when it suits him." Scarlett snorted in disbelief as she made her way back into the kitchen to get the plates only to be surprised when both Alaric and Elijah came into help with the plates of food back into the dining and once everything was set Scarlett left them to it.

"Scarlett you should join us!" Andie called out.

Damon shook his head and scowled at Andie. "No he shouldn't"

"C'mon Damon, she cooked all this food so she should join us." John added.

"I'm not exactly the company you want at dinner parties and I'm pretty beat so I'm going to be bed, I have actual people to wait on tomorrow so just clean up after your done otherwise I will kick some serious ass' and we all know I can." Scarlett said waving to them all and leaving the dining room but didn't make it as far as her bedroom, she reached the living room and just crashed out. It was just that exhausting being her.


	56. Chapter 56

_So this chapter is pretty explosive to say the least and things will never be the same in the Salvatore family again, what happens changes everything for Scarlett and it will have irrevocable damage to her relationship with Damon and Stefan which will never be fully fixed not to mention the big bad secret comes out and let's just say the Salvatore boys are caught very much off guard and let's just say Damon isn't too happy, scratch that he is beyond pissed off to put it lightly. _

_In the next chapter there will be a very emotional scene with Scarlett and Matt pretty explosive scene between Elena and Scarlett then one with her and Damon in public and you'll understand why after reading this chapter plus Scarlett and Klaus will meet in the next one and it'll be pretty interesting and the start of of a weird and frankly understanding friendship... So i've now hit over 100,000 words, which is incredibly surreal as i posted my first chapter in April and it's amazing how far this story has come since then but enough of that, enjoy xx  
_

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Scarlett felt the tears course down her face and did nothing to stop them as Damon and Stefan stood in front of her as they told her that a lawyer was coming over this morning to transfer the deed from Zach's name to Elena, making her the owner of the boarding house. It was like she had been slapped in the face and punched in the gut, that's honestly how Scarlett felt because this just came out of nowhere, they just dropped this on her with consulting on her about it and they had the never to think that she'd been fine about this? That she'd agree to this. "Y-You can't do this, y-you can't…"

"Scarlett, it's not what you think it is." Stefan began as he took a step towards Scarlett but she just stumbled a couple of steps back.

"It is exactly what I think it is! This is my home, the place where I was born and where I've grown up and lived every single day of my life. My dad killed himself in that house, Uncle Zach is buried in the back yard. That house is supposed to belong to me, it's supposed to be the place where I'll someday get married and raise my kids and get old but your giving it away! You're giving it to her when it wasn't your house to give! The boarding house belongs to me because i am a Salvatore and she isn't! Elena is a bloody Gilbert and just because the both of you are in love with her doesn't mean you get to give away my damn house!" Scarlett yelled, she was furious about this. She wanted to cry, scream, kick just generally throw a tantrum in general because she was that upset about this, that Damon and Stefan would betray her in the worst possible way. They know how much the boarding house meant to her but yet they go and do this to her. Plotting behind her back for two weeks.

Some people may think she was over reacting over a simple house, but this wasn't a simple house it was her house. It was the house that her family built and that lived it. This house was Scarlett's home it wasn't Damon or Stefan's and it certainly wasn't Elena. She had dealt with Katherine crashing at the house without losing her temper but with this her temper had already gone and the fuse had be lit for her to explode, as she was that mad.

"It's to protect Elena! Elijah had been invited into her house and we need her to be somewhere safe, where she can control who can come in and who can't." Stefan tried explain.

"I don't care!"

"The house is still yours Scarlett, it will always be yours and Elena knows that, she knows that this is your house and home but her name will just be on the deed for now and I swear to you that it'll will be put in your name and you'll become the legal owner when you turn twenty two just like Zach wanted it to." Stefan stressed.

"Why my house? Why not someone else's house?" Scarlett shrieked as she shook her head repeatedly. "It is my house and not hers, you had no right to take it from me."

"Scarlett you need to calm down!" Stefan said as he made his way over to her but Scarlett managed to pull away and slap Stefan as hard as she could, which was pretty hard as his cheek was pretty damn red but it did nothing to relieve the anger she was feeling.

"Don't tell me to calm down! Not after what your about to do! Of all the days you chose to do this to me, you had to pick today..." Scarlett screamed.

"What are you talking about Red?" Damon questioned and Scarlett somehow managed to laugh through her tears, of course he wouldn't know what today was as the only things that registered in Damon's life were himself and Elena given that he was in love with his brother's girlfriend.

"April 26th. That's today's date." Scarlett began as wiped away her tears only for them to be replaced with more tears because she couldn't stop herself from crying even as she watched Damon look confused whilst Stefan kept repeating the date to himself until the realization finally hit him. "You finally remember Uncle Stefan, don't you? Although i don't know why you'd even forget... Even after all years I can recall every single detail of that day."

"Oh my god." Stefan said and he face dropped and took on a very grayish color like he was going to be sick.

"What am i missing here? And what is so special about today." Damon demanded.

"I'll tell you what is so special about today Uncle Damon, late at night nine years ago on April 26th 2001 my father put me to bed and read me my bedtime story of the princess and the pea, told me he loved me and sat me with me until i fell asleep. That was to be the last time i ever saw him because two hours later he hung himself right over there." Scarlett said as she pointed to the banister, which her father had jumped off.

"Oh…" Damon slowly said not knowing where to look.

"My father killed himself nine years ago and your giving away his house and I will never forgive you for this, ever. The two of you are nothing to me anymore, you two have ruined my life in everyone way possible since the day I was born and I wish you had never come back here." Scarlett sighed before running up the stairs and back up to her room clutching her heart as she did because it honestly felt like it was breaking and like she was going to die. Scrambling around her room Scarlett grabbed a duffel bag and shoved whatever clothes she could grab into her bad making sure she picked up the picture oh her with Zach and her dad taken before he died. She knew that Damon and Stefan would be busy so it was enough for her to sneak out and it was. Scarlett got into her car and started to drive in order to get out of Mystic Falls.

But as she did she suddenly pulled a u-turn and headed back into town, she couldn't leave without saying goodbye to the one of the only people she cared about. And ten minutes later she pulled up outside of the Donovan's house and knocked on the door, moments later Matt opened the door.

"Hey… Scarlet?! What's wrong?" Matt questioned as he pulled Scarlett into his house, she was a wreck and all over the place.

"…I can't be here anymore, I-I can't be in the same house after what they to me not today of all days. Today is nine years since my dad killed himself and I can't do this anymore, I can't be here anymore. M-My heart can't take it anymore, s-so I'm l-leaving town, I just came to say goodbye." Scarlett said in a rather strangled cry.

"Scarlett, what are you talking about? You can't leave town, this is your home… Where would you go? You can't leave." Matt reasons.

"It-It hasn't been my home Matt, n-not since they came back and now they've taken it form me and I-I've had enough. I c-can't be here anymore, i-I have to leave… I-I'll figure it out as I go along but I need to leave M-Mystic Falls, before it kills me. I have to go, I j-just came to say goodbye to my best friend." Scarlett sobbed. "T-They will come to you but don't tell them anything, y-you can't tell them anything…"

"Scarlett I don't understand what is going on but I'm not letting you leave like this, not when you're this upset considering what today means. But you need to listen to me, you need to calm down and take a deep breath." Matt instructed as he wiped away her tears and Scarlett slowly nodded.

"Matt I don't know what I'm doing anymore, I d-don't know anything…" Scarlett sniffled.

Pulling Scarlett into a hug, the two of them stood there for a few minutes before Matt finally pulled away. "You look exhausted and you probably need time to get your head together, so hang out here get some rest and we'll talk when I get back. Promise me you'll be here when I get back."

"I-I promise." Scarlett nodded and Matt hugged her again before leaving the house and Scarlett wondered into the living room and she crumbled to the floor and that's where she spent the entire day, not moving or eating just laying there and that's where Matt found her when he came back from school and he laid down next to her.

"Hey you…" Matt began. "How are you?"

"It's like my world's gone dark and I'm all alone, I feel empty inside Matt and don't like it, I want my dad Matt. I want everything to be like it was nine years ago, I want my dad and Zach back and to be back home but I can't. I can't have that and I can't go home, I can't go back there because it's not my home anymore. I have to leave here, I can't go to my mom because that is the first place they will look for me. I-I have to run, as far as I can but I just want to die…" Scarlett wearily said.

Matt turned his head to look at Scarlett and he took one of her hands in his. "Don't ever say something like that, I don't know what's gone on with you, Stefan and Damon and I can't imagine how hard this day must be but I can't let you leave Scarlett. So I want you to stay here and I'll take care of you. I can't let you leave when you're sick."

"I –I…" Scarlett began.

"You're staying, you can take my mom's room that's final Scar… Look I'm taking Caroline to the 60's dance, but I can stay and we can hang out of you want?" Matt questioned and Scarlett shook her head.

"No go and have fun, I'm not much company." Scarlett croaked. "B-but will you come with me somewhere first?"

"Sure."

Forty minutes later the two of them stood in the graveyard in front of the tombstone that read; _Gabriel Salvatore 1964 - 2001, beloved and greatly missed brother and father._ Scarlett just stood there holding Matt's hand as she read the tombstone and looked down at the white lily's that she had brought with her. She'd give anything in the world to have him back. "I miss him so much Matt, it never goes away."

"About time Red, we knew you'd show up sooner or later…" Turning around Scarlett saw that both Stefan and Damon were in the graveyard, no doubt they had come from the house given that the graveyard was not too far from the back of the boarding house. They were the last two people that she wanted to see and she couldn't even bring herself to look at them. "So where have you been all day? We know that you didn't go to school and I've spent most of my day calling you but we'll get to that, you need to come back because we've got some things to take care of."

"I-I'm not coming with you and I'm not going back to the boarding house." Scarlett quietly said.

"What?" Damon demanded.

"You took something from me which is irreplaceable and I can't deal with you two anymore, I was set to run and never come back here until I spoke to Matt. I'm staying with Matt now, he's welcomed me to stay as long as i want because he actually cares. He didn't do the things that you've done to me and as far as I'm concerned now I'm not related to either of you."

"Red…"

"My name is Scarlett, not Red." Scarlett snapped as she felt herself get riled up again.

"I know your pissed with us Red but you really need to cut the crap and come back to the house there are things that we need to talk about before the decade dance. So come on already, you can bitch about everything on the way back to the house." Damon retorted and Scarlett took a few steps back clutching her chest as she stumbled against her father's grave.

"You need to back off and leave her alone." Matt warned as Stefan made his way to Scarlett but she stumbled further back in an attempt to get away from him.

Damon grabbed Matt and pushed him up against a tree. "Listen Donovan, I'm family and your not and I'm also her legal guardian so that means she does what I say, goes where I say and I say she is coming with me so accept it because this little situation does not involve you."

"It does involve me especially when the two of you are hurting her with whatever does on in that house of yours." Matt retorted.

"What are you talking about Matt?" Stefan questioned.

"Matt don't…" Scarlett wheezed as she leaned against a tombstone.

"You don't have to protect them anymore, they should know…" Matt began before turning his attention back to Damon and Stefan. "Scarlett's heart has been getting worse these last few months and according to the dates her doctor told us it coincides with when you came back to town. Those tricks she uses to slow down her heart aren't working that well."

"What? Is this true Red?" Damon hissed as he let go of Matt and turned his attention over to Scarlett.

"Yeah it is. My heart is getting worse and I either have to go on medication to help mange my condition, then there's the choice of open heart surgery then there is the option of shocking my body with hundreds of volts of electricity… I have three weeks to decided on what to do until I have to go to the hospital for a weekly check up because Dr. Parker is worried that I may keel over and die any day now!"

"Why the hell didn't you tell us? Why didn't you tell me!" Damon yelled.

Scarlett stood up a bit straighter. "Why the hell should I take your feelings into consideration when you don't do the same thing for me?" You never think of me, you just think of yourself and I'm the sick one here you should have known better!

"You need to come home so we can deal with it as a family Red." Damon angrily stated clearly losing his temper.

"I don't think so." Scarlett replied as she felt her heart calming down.

"You mistake me telling you for me asking you Red!" Damon stated.

"I know your mad with us Scarlett but we're worried about you and we just want to talk about this as a family and Matt can come with us too. We just want to talk and figure what to do with this information about your heart." Stefan begin trying to play peace maker.

"I'm not coming with you, I'm going with Matt because were not a family, not anymore. Not after what you did, I told you before I will never forgive you for what the two of you did and I will not come home until I get back what you took from me. And that's all I have to say to the two of you, c'mon Matt let's go." Scarlett wearily said and Matt came over and put his arm around her and they walked away and she didn't look back once. She was done with Damon and Stefan for good. There was no going back.


	57. Chapter 57

_Here's a big ole' chapter for you to all enjoy, depending on my mood i may have another chapter written and posted in a few hours but if not enjoy xx  
_

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"_We need to talk."_

_Scarlett looked up from where she was sitting on the couch reading a book to see Matt standing in the doorway that connected the living room and the kitchen together, he had clearly just come back from the dance as he was still dressed in his JFK costume and he had a worried look on face. "Sure, what's up?"_

"_I need you to tell me what's going on? And don't tell me nothing's going but there was something going on at the dance and everyone was acting weird and I know that if anyone would know then it would be you Scarlett." Matt began before taking a deep breath. "You know everything is this town, especially about the vampires…"_

"_How do you know about that Matt? You were supposed to forget, but you wouldn't if you were taking vervain…" Scarlett questioned with a sigh, Caroline had compelled him to forget after he found out everything but apparently not._

"_That doesn't matter, what matters is that you know the entire truth about what is going on here and I need you to tell me. You owe me this." Matt stated and Scarlett nodded so she motioned for Matt to sit down and join her._

"_It's a long story."_

"_We've got time." Matt replied. _

"_You need to understand I've always known about vampires and this towns history with them. For me to tell you the bigger picture I have to start with the smaller ones, Damon and Stefan are vampire–" Scarlett began._

"_As is Caroline then Bonnie is a witch and Tyler is a werewolf."_

"_Yes and Elena is a doppelgänger and the two of us are the only normal ones left but I'll get back to get. Damon and Stefan were turned in 1864 and ever since then my family ahs been keeping the secret from everyone in this town. The two of them would visit separately ever so often but we never really liked it as people died and still do when their here. Stefan back last summer and he came across Elena, he was stunned as Elena looked like the woman and vampire who turned him and Damon. Her name was Katherine Pierce but we learnt a few months back that her real name is Katerina Petrova and that Elena isn't actual a Gilbert, she was actually adopted." Scarlett started._

"_Elena's adopted?" _

"_Yeah, her birth parents are John Gilbert and Mr. Saltzman's wife Isobel who became a vampires a few years back. Through Isobel, Elena is a descendent of the Petrova line and Katherine's, which explained why they look so alike. Elena like Katherine is a doppelgänger, two people who look a like and a vampire is coming into town to kill Elena he needs her blood as give hundred years ago he was going to use Katherine's blood but to avoid being killed she became a vampire. But now that there is a second doppelgänger this vampire Klaus is coming for Elena to break the curse of the sun and moon. But to do that"_

"_Curse?"_

"_Yeah it's some Aztec thing, the curse was the thing that made vampires slaves of the sun and werewolves servants of the moon but it could be broken and if a vampire broke the curse then they could walk freely in the daylight and werewolves would be forever be trapped to transform by force." Scarlett explained._

"_So Elena's a doppelgänger? How did Tyler and Caroline become involved with any of this, I knew them my whole life and they were never a vampire and werewolf."_

_Taking a deep breath Scarlett explained to Matt everything from the accident at founders day that led to Damon giving Caroline his blood to heal her and then Katherine killing her, to the Lockwood werewolf gene and how Tyler killing Sarah activated it."_

"_What about Vick?"_

_Scarlett sighed. "All I know is that Damon turned her supposedly because he was bored and Stefan killed her because she was about to kill Elena and Jeremy Matt, that's all I know about it. Vicki was at the boarding house as Stefan was trying to help her adjust but I only saw her once…"_

"_What do you mean you only saw her once? It was your relatives who turned her into a vampire in the first place and you just said she was at your house." Matt said raising his voice._

"_Because I tried to kill myself the day before Damon turned Vicki." Scarlett announced._

"_What?" Matt slowly said in shock._

"_The night of the heritage party we drugged Damon with vervain because he was out of control, feeding on Caroline and compelling her, killing Mr. Tanner and other innocent people so we drugged him and locked him up and things calmed down. Until the day of the carwash, when Stefan and I got home that day we knew something was wrong and we went down to the basement and there was Z-Zach's body…" Scarlett wearily said._

"_Zach's dead?"_

"_Damon snapped his neck. Our whole family had always been terrified of him, I had never met him before he came back but I heard the stories of hoe permitted us to live and how we were only here to take care of the house… That night Elena found out about the vampire thing and when Stefan was dealing with her I swallowed a whole bunch of pills and washed it down with some scotch. I had lost my father and then Zach, I couldn't cope. I refused to so I tried to kill myself but Stefan found me and saved me. Next few days I was all over the place and consumed with grief that I didn't know about Vicki until the last minute and then I wasn't in the right frame of mind to do anything, if I had known what would have happened then I would have done something…" Scarlett explained and Matt wearily nodded and the two of them sat there for hours as Scarlett told Matt everything that she knew, all the dirty secrets and the lies. _

Morning came way too early for Scarlett and it was hard for her to drag herself out of bed, but she had to as she had work and as she well knew life went on, no matter what your personnel problems were. As she made her way out of Matt's mom's former bedroom she walked into the kitchen and saw Matt making the two of them breakfast and he smiled as Scarlett sat down at the table. He had taken everything in better than expected as she was half expecting him to kick her out but she was pretty certain that the attempted suicide, the anniversary of her dad's death and her general crying stopped him from doing so. "You look terrible, are you sure you want to go to work today?" Matt questioned.

"Yeah. I need to keep busy otherwise my mind will wonder and I don't really want to think about my problems at the moment. I need to get on with my life away from Damon and Stefan because going back with them would have resulted in me being killed." Scarlett said with a sigh.

"I still can't believe you tried to kill yourself Scarlett…"

"After everything I've told you about the supernatural world, that is the part that you're hung up on Matt?" Scarlett questioned with small smile and Matt just gave her a pointed look. "I know it's not funny, I was in a very bad place then because of what happened, Zach was the only person who had always been there for me and had never left, mom had taken off and my dad had killed himself. So Damon killing him was a big shock, I felt so alone and I knew that Damon would end up killing and I just couldn't deal. But Stefan found me, saved me and then took care of me for the most part…"

"But your okay now?" Matt questioned.

Scarlett nodded. "Yeah for the most part, the grief doesn't cripple me as much as it used. It's at a manageable level for me to deal with, partly thanks to you Matt."

"Me?"

"I lost someone who I cared about every and then I soon gained a person to care about, I guess it was life's way of cutting me a break after everything." Scarlett said with a sigh before turning to Matt. "We are good, right?"

"Yeah we are, now eat up you must be hungry as I know you haven't eaten since the day before yesterday." Matt replied with a smile as he put two plates of food on the table and the two of them sat and ate breakfast together before heading to work.

Work was a welcome distraction with Scarlett as for once the grill was rather busy which kept her mind busy and distracted, then Matt was always coming over to check on her when he had a moment. Scarlett honestly didn't know what she did to deserve a friend like Matt who still wanted to be her friend after finding out all her deep dark secrets but he did and Scarlett would willingly thank the person who sent Matt in her direction. Not to mention all the patrons she had today who kept leaving her good tips. It seemed like her disowning her family was the best decision she had ever made and now the universe was rewarding her for it.

"We need to talk."

Scarlett didn't even have to look up from where she was sitting at the bar to know it was Damon and she just rolled her eyes. The guy was a major pain in the ass and she was now starting to regret asking Elijah to save him. "No we don't, I've said all I've got to say and I was pretty clear on that and I'm not going to repeat myself just because your thick skull can't process it."

"Klaus is processing Rick, has been for a while best we can guess." Damon announced and Scarlett just yawned, she really needed a cup of coffee or something to help keep her awake.

"Riveting."

"Is that all your going to say?"

Scarlett let out a bored sigh. "Pretty much although I will admit that's pretty cool and you have to give the Big Bad Klaus props on his ingenuity, really takes a new spin on the concept know thy enemy. I may have to shake his hand when he finally shows up other than that I really couldn't care less if you couldn't tell."

"Your being a bit of a pain in the ass Red and I'm getting quite sick of it, so quit the attitude with me already and let's go figure out a plan."

"Let's correct something here, you're the one whose always in the ass to everyone that you come across and I'm the sick one here, you do recall that my heart beats irregularly and it's getting worse." Scarlett retorted.

"You need to come home." Damon demanded. "Your sick and you need to come home."

"I don't have a home anymore, not after the two of you stole it from me." Scarlett slowly said as she looked down at her feet, she couldn't even look at him anymore as she was that disgusted with Damon. He was supposed to be her family but the moment Damon along with Stefan signed her house over to Elena was the moment Scarlett stopped being related to them.

"It is still your home Scarlett."

"No it's not, it stopped being that after you went and got the house put in Elena's name when you had no right to do so, the boarding house should legally belong to me after Zach died, no wait after you murdered Zach but because of the clause in the will it won't until i'm twenty two." Scarlett retorted.

"And you'll get the house back then, Scarlett we only did this as a way of protecting Elena and when you turn twenty two the house will go back to you as it was meant to be but until then you can continue to live there, it's still your home and we want you to come back. So stop with the bitch fit already, you've made your point clear that your not happy but let's move on already, so come back home."

"So I can do all the cooking, cleaning, washing and the food shopping? I think not… Do I have to get the words fuck off tattooed on my head before you get the point? And whilst I'm on that you had better see if Elena can fork out some cash because it takes money to maintain a house like that especially with the frequent supernatural break in that take place there not to mention paying tax and the bills. Because if you recall all the money is in my name, both from my mother and Zach's accounts and if I'm not living in that house then I'm not paying a dime." Scarlett said raising her voice but making sure to keep it at an acceptable level so that people wouldn't hear.

"Just tell me why?"

"Why what?"

"You know what I'm talking about, after everything you and me have gone through over the last few months why didn't you tell me about your heart? I had a right to know and to hear from you so why'd I have to find out from Donovan?" Damon demanded and it was clear that he had no calm down from yesterday, not that Scarlett cared in the slightest. He could mad all he liked and it wasn't going to change anything. She wasn't coming home and she was never going to forgive.

"You would have found out from Rose, had I not begged her not to tell."

"Rose knew?"

"Yeah, figured it out in about ten hours." Scarlett began. "But you want to know the reason why I didn't tell you? It was because I didn't want to worry you, there were bigger things going on so I thought I'd keep quiet and then I figured that once I decided what treatment I was going to go with then I'd tell you. But then you lost the right to know. Hence Matt telling you."

"Scarlett..."

"I was supposed to be your family but you and Stefan are so wrapped in everything that is Elena Gilbert that I fall through the cracks. And I'm giving up on you, well rather disowning the two of you. Please go right ahead and kill each other because your both in love with the same girl yet again and I welcome it because I don't care anymore. I'm not your niece anymore and your not my uncle, in fact you and Stefan are nothing to me and i don't want you to speak to me, look at me or come anywhere near me again because as far as i am concerned the two of you mean nothing to me and are dead. My family died with my dad and Zach." Scarlett angrily stated before talking off to the back room to calm herself down. She was all fine and somewhat happy before Damon arrived.

Hours later Scarlett found herself back at the boarding house, not because she was coming home but because she needed to collect a few more things to take to Matt's. The house was pretty much quiet as she went to her room to pack another bag but she reached trouble when she got to the library. And she ran into Damon, Stefan, Elena and Elijah who was apparently alive again. "Hey Elijah."

"Scarlett." Elijah curtly replied.

"Just so you know I wasn't involved in the whole inviting you over and killing you thing, I didn't find out about that the morning after the deed is done but please go ahead and kill them all if you want, you'll be doing me a favor…" Scarlett idly commented as she scoured the bookshelves looking for a particular book.

"As I've just explained to both Damon and Stefan, no harm shall to come to them nor you at my hands." Elijah explained.

"Oh okay…" Scarlett replied as she found the book she was looking for and pulled it off the bookshelf and held it up to Elijah. "A signed first edition of The Great Gatsby, belonged to my grandmother… She knew the Fitzgerald's. I wasn't going to leave without this…"

"–Wait? So you're not coming back?" Stefan questioned.

"Scarlett…" Stefan began.

"What part of I'm not coming back do you not understand? This isn't my home anymore so I'm not living here anymore, I've moved in with Matt now and I'm going to stay there unless I get back my house. You'll have to take care of Lucrezia and Violetta but I'll come in and check on them, plus stay out of my room and away from my piano and the car." Scarlett said as she moved away bookshelf. "Elijah could pass me that photograph in the silver frame that's in front of you?"

Elijah picked up the frame and looked at it before handing it over to Scarlett. "Your father I presume? Judging by the resemblance…"

"Y-yeah." Scarlett wearily said.

"Have I done something to upset you?" Elijah asked picking up on the change of moon in the room and how Scarlett's voice was shaky.

"No, i-it's just that yesterday was nice years since my father killed himself and then I lose my home so my emotions are kind of all over the first place." Scarlett said as she blinked away her tears, she so didn't want to start crying here of all places.

"Scarlett…" Elena began.

"Elijah hold this for a moment please." Scarlett said handing the picture frame back over and proceeding to walk over to Elena. "So the doppelgänger finally open her damn mouth, I'll tell you know Elena that we are not anything anymore, not friends just nothing because you stole my home and I will never forgive you for what you've done, ever."

"I-It's not like that Scarlett–"

Not bothering to hear what Elena had to say for herself Scarlett slapped her as hard as could. "That is my house you're living in, my house that you now own when you shouldn't. My father wanted me to have it, Zach left the house to me but you, Stefan and Damon have taken it just like they've taken everything else from me so I hope the three of you are happy together.

"For god's sake Scarlett just listen to us for a minute." Stefan began.

"No, I'm not going to listen to you try and justify stealing my home so you listen as I'm going to say this once so listen careful; because of you the people have loved have left me, mom walked out and dad killed himself because of the two of you. Zach was killed because the two of you were here and couldn't leave a stupid girl alone. My heart cannot take anymore, it is physically not strong enough anymore so I am asking you, no I'm begging you, if there is some part of either of you two that actually loves me then you will do the right thing now or just let me go, leave me in peace so I can live my life without you."

"We can't do that, I won't do that Red." Damon stated.

"Then congratulations, your condemning to an early death just like every other Salvatore whose had to live with your secret." Scarlett said as she took the photo back of Elijah. "Goodbye Elijah."

"Goodbye Scarlett."

Scarlett left the boarding house and went back to new home where she crashed out not long after she arrived, last couple of days had been physically, mentally and emotionally draining on her and hopefully that would be the last of the days where she thought she was on her way to having a mental breakdown. Scarlett slept until the early afternoon when her shift started at the grill and when she woke up she had that feeling again, the bad feeling she go tin her stomach when something bad was going to happen. But she ignored it because she was normal now. However things from her not so normal previous life insisted on showing up, like Damon who was drowning his sorrows in the Grill along with Alaric.

"Hey Scarlett…" Alaric began.

"I thought the big bad original possessed you." Scarlett questioned despite not wanting to know but here she was asking.

"He let me go."

"Well it's good to see you as yourself again Ric, now if you'll excuse me." Scarlett began as she had walked past him when Damon pulled her wrist and caused her to stop. "What now asshole? Let me guess? Something bad is happening today and it's going to be really bad."

"You have that feeling again?"

"That or I'm just hungry again." Scarlett sarcastically said as she patted her stomach affectionately.

"The sacrifice is happening tonight." Damon gritted through his teeth.

"Goody." Scarlett retorted and the fury was clear in Damon's eyes and she just rolled her eyes, he could get angry all he liked but she wasn't afraid of him in the slightest because the worst thing he would is kill her but she knew he would never because it would kill him.

"Elena may die today and you say goody?" Damon demanded.

"Means I get my house back so why shouldn't I be happy? I'll be that happy to see the back of her that I'll throw a damn parade and then spit on her grave." Scarlett sneered and as she did both Alaric and Damon's faces fell.

"Gentlemen? Why so glum?" A voice said from behind Scarlett she looked to see a tall guy with blonde hair, blue eyes and a smile on his face which showcased his dimples. He was quite good looking although Scarlett had no idea who he was. And she wasn't going to hang around to find out.

Damon grunted. "Ugh. Klaus, I presume."

Scarlett stopped in her tracks and turned back around, now she was interested as this was the big bad original that everyone was afraid of. Not as scary as she thought he would be. "In the flesh." Klaus quipped before turning to Alaric. "Thanks for the loaner, mate."

"Any reason you stopped by to say hi?" Damon questioned as he stood up and Scarlett rolled her eyes, he was going to do something stupid that was no doubt doing to piss Klaus off, he had already pissed off one original several times you'd think he'd not want to piss off two original vampires.

"I'm told you and your brother fancy my doppelganger. Just thought I'd remind you to not do anything you'll regret." Klaus warned.

"Damon scoffed in amusement although it wasn't exactly a laughing matter. "Ha. Thanks for the advice. I don't suppose I could talk you into a postponement, by any chance, huh?"

"You are kidding?" Klaus questioned before turning to Scarlett. "He is kidding, right?

Scarlett shook her head and actually laughed, she couldn't help herself but it just happened. "No, not really. He says stupid things a lot of the time and he means it constantly, he's an idiot vampire with some profound and morbid death wish. Like I said moron."

"I mean, come on, what's one month in the whole grand scheme of things?" Damon questioned and it just caused Scarlett to roll her eyes, he was deluded to think that Klaus was going to put the sacrifice on hold because he asked.

"Let me be clear... I have my vampire. I have my werewolf. I have everything I need. The ritual will happen tonight. So if you want to live to see tomorrow, don't screw it up." Klaus warned and Scarlett chuckled before walking off, she found all amusing for some reason but now she went back to work and so she grabbed a couple of menus but as she turned around she came face to face with Klaus. "We weren't introduced but you must be the infamous Scarlett Salvatore I've heard so much about, your reputation does proceed you and I must admit that I've been looking forward to meeting you."

"Would you believe that people say that to me all the time although I'm not exactly sure why I'm infamous in the first place? But for some reason they're all pleased to meet me which I find weird but for some reason I'm one of those oddly likeable people despite my horrible personality and my lack of people skills." Scarlett questioned in bemusement.

"That's not too surprising given what I've heard about you."

"Well I haven't heard a lot about you but I do know that you are the Big Bad Klaus in the flesh, you're more handsome then I imagined in my head, it's a pleasure to meet you." Scarlett replied, she should terrified out of her mind given that she was having a conversation with the most feared original but she wasn't.

"That's a first given I am going to kill your friend tonight." Klaus said in surprise.

"If you've heard about me then you'll know that I'm no ordinary girl and you'll be doing me a favour by getting rid of Elena so please go ahead and kill her, she's not my friend and you'll be making my life easier."

"And why's that?"

"Because of Damon and Stefan I lost someone that I loved and so the two of them losing Elena, the girl they both love seems only fair. Kind of an eye for an eye thin but not. It's complicated but I'm sick of doppelgänger as both of them have done nothing but ruin my life. So it would bring me great delight if they were both dead but I won't be greedy, I'll settle for one for now." Scarlett said giving Klaus her biggest and brightest grin before walking off to get on with the rest of her shift, for some reason she liked Klaus and it wasn't just because he wanted to be rid of Elena. But it helped… And after her shift ended Scarlett returned back to the Donovan house where for the first time in months Scarlett slept peacefully for the first time in god knows how long.


	58. Chapter 58

_Righto another chapter like promised but it's a tad bit shorter than my last one for obvious reasons but the next one with be very long i hope, just don't expect to see it today, i'm tired and my laptop has been on my lap all day which can't be good... So season three if almost upon us finally as season two was really starting to wear me down hence condensing it into about twelve chapters, but here's a little spoiler for that's going to happen before then. Scarlett is going to find out that she wasn't the only one keeping secrets as Damon has a very interesting one of his own and they'll have a pretty emotional scene in the next chapter. Not to mention there will be an emotional scene with the two of them and Stefan then one with just Stefan and Scarlett about this whole werewolf bite thing. I have to admit it will get pretty intense and with Stefan soon to be departing with Klaus, things in the Salvatore family are about to get more complicated not to mention funny in Damon's attempts to gain Scarlett's forgiveness but i'm getting ahead of myself until then, enjoy xx_

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Scarlett was disturbed in the early hours of the morning of her phone going off and groaning she sat up in bed and looked over at her phone. There was a message from a blocked number and it was rather vague and mysterious, all it said was; _come outside, it's important._ Scarlett wasn't sure what to do so after a minute over debating what to do she slowly crept out of bed, slid her shoes on and grabbed the baseball bat that Matt's mom kept in the corner and made her way to the kitchen and opened the front door. And there standing outside was Damon. "I thought I made myself pretty clear to you, over the last few days. I don't want anything to do with you anymore so stopping bugging me–" Scarlett began.

"Jenna and John are dead, the curse is broken and we don't know where Klaus is." Damon announced and handed Damon handed over the clothes bag he was holding and Scarlett dropped the bat in sheer shook. "You'll need these for the funeral, we're going to do it today and try not to draw much attention…"

"What? I don't understand how are Jenna and John dead?" Scarlett questioned.

"Klaus was going to sacrifice Caroline and Tyler but I rescued them and I thought I put a dent in his plans but I underestimated Klaus, he had a Jules as a back up werewolf and then he had Katherine lure out Jenna and then he turned her and killed them both as part of the sacrifice. John died because they found a way to save Elena, a spell… that allowed a parent to transfer their life force to their child…' Damon wearily said.

"So Elena's alive?" Scarlett slowly asked and Damon scoffed.

"Not that you care or don't you recall wishing Klaus good luck and telling him that he'd be doing you a favour by killing Elena!"

Scarlett dropped the dress bag that was in her hand and shoved Damon repeatedly in the chest. "You think I meant any of that? And that I'm proud of what I said about Elena dying and wishing Klaus good luck? I was so mad about you two did that I overreacted and lashed out where I could and at whoever I could and Klaus happened to strike up a conversation with me. And don't pretend like you've never done it before because you are the poster boy for lashing out when you don't like something! I was pissed off with you so I said because I know you'd be listening in to make you even made but even then I knew you were trying to find a way to save her! Unlike you I'm not a complete idiot! I do feel bad for what I did!"

"What?"

"I am mad, no scratch that I am furious with you and Stefan but my problem is mainly with you Damon! You're the one who gets me! The one who understand me and how I think, you know what's going on in my head without me telling you! Stefan doesn't get us the way we get each other and I thought you understood that but then you went and gave my damn house away! You know how much the boarding house means to me and yet you gave it away Damon! How the hell could you do that to me?"

"Red, I've tried to tell you we had–" Damon began.

"Stop trying to explain it like I'm five years old! I know why you did it! The name had to be in Elena's name in order for her to control who comes in! If the house were in my name then she wouldn't have been able to control who could be invited and I would have never invited you back in and I certainly wouldn't have let you use the house as some kind of safe house! But you should have asked me! You and Stefan were planning this and going behind my back like I didn't even matter!" Scarlett yelled not caring how early it was in the morning anymore, she had to say this.

"Don't say that, you know you matter to both Stefan and me!" Damon retorted.

"Transferring the deed on the anniversary of my dad's death doesn't exactly say that nor does going behind my back to do it! It suggests quite the opposite!" Scarlett spat going to his Damon once again but he grabbed Scarlett's wrist to prevent her from hitting him again.

"I didn't know Red! I honestly didn't know about Gabriel but if I did I wouldn't have done it then! I would have waited a few days before we got the lawyer to sign the deed over! I may be a heartless bastard at times but even I'm not that cold! I know how much your dad meant to you and how your not over his death! I would have intentionally done something that distasteful to you of all people!"

"But you did! Even after everything I've done for you, I let you stay in my house after Zach, I had to pull you out of that damn tomb and watch you fall apart because of Katherine. I stayed with you and took your mind of it by planning thanksgiving and Christmas, getting drunk with you when you looked sad! I've pulled arrows and bullets out of you, I even pulled you out of a damn burning building and yet you do this to me? I'm Red and yet you betrayed me in the worst possible way all for Elena!" Scarlett yelled. "When the hell did Elena become more important that me?"

"She is not more important than you! Don't be so damn ridiculous!"

"You went up against an original vampire in order to save your brother's girlfriend who we all know that you're in love with! Before you went over the deep end for Elena, we hung out and actually did things together and you noticed things. I didn't have to tell you because you somehow figured it out! But now… it has always been about Elena, any time you come to me it's because you need my help with something and it is always connected to Elena. Your life may revolve around Elena but mine doesn't!"

"Scarlett…"

"You know when I realized? When you stopped asking about my heart, last couple of months you haven't asked about my heart unless I've had an attack but before you ask and see how I was doing and lecture me if you even caught me with a coffee. Another reason why I didn't tell you about my heart. I've become irrelevant you, I haven't been your niece in a while and even then when you use the term it's at your convince. I've just been Red, the sarcastic girl who can solve problems and is always good for tagging alone." Scarlett stated as she picked up the baseball bag and the dress bag.

"That's not true."

Scarlett smiled a sad smile as she made her way back into the house but paused as reached the threshold. "Yes it is and it's fine because I'm not the one who needs you anymore, you're the one who needs me.I'll be honest and say I won't ever forgive you for what you did, you know that right? And I'm not coming home. You're not Uncle Damon anymore, your just Damon. The guy who screwed me over like he did everyone else but thank you for coming over to tell me about Jenna, John and Elena. I'll see you at the funeral Damon…"

A few hours later Scarlett was at another funeral that was being hidden from everyone else, they couldn't explain how both Jenna and John died so they had to bury them in secret. It reminded Scarlett of losing Zach and she couldn't even give him the funeral that he deserved. Elena, despite everything she was going through seemed to realize this and came over and hugged Scarlett and the two of them were seemingly untied by the loss that they had both faced. And when Scarlett tried to apologize for what happened, Elena told her to forget it as she knew that she was mad and didn't mean to do the things what she had said.

When the 'secret' funeral ended they all started heading congregating together to head back to the Gilbert's for a 'mini' wake. But as they did Stefan pulled Scarlett to the side. "How are you doing?" Stefan asked.

"I've better although, I could do without going to another funeral given how many I've been too in these last twelve months. But at least it's all over." Scarlett began until she noticed a look in his face, she was putting her issues with him and Damon aside for the day for Elena's sake but tomorrow they'd be back to not being on talking terms. Even though they transferred the deed to protect Elena, Scarlett couldn't forgive them for it. "Right, Stefan?"

"Damon has a werewolf bite on his arm, he was bitten by Tyler Lockwood." Stefan quietly announced.

Scarlett felt her stomach drop to her feet, that was the last thing she was expected or wanted to hear. "You have to be fucking kidding me, after everything that has gone on is it too hard to catch a damn break? How bad is it?"

"It's getting worse."

"Bloody hell." Scarlett said recalling how bad Rose got when she was bitten by werewolf, if that was anything to go by this wouldn't be pretty. "What are we going to do? There is no cure for a werewolf bite, it's lethal to vampires…"

"We will figure something out and we will save him Scarlett but right now I need you to go back to the house and keep an eye on him because I don't want him to be alone right now, especially with this. I know you are furious with him, with both of us but he misses you and we need you now more than ever…" Stefan replied.

"I'll go and we'll find some way to cure Damon but it doesn't change anything, after we cure him things go back to how they've been the last couple of days…"


	59. Chapter 59

_Oh look! A new chapter, despite me saying that i wouldn't post another one today, ha! One more chapter and then season two will be finally over and i promise i will make it a good one and i'll make sure to have some Klaus and Scarlett interaction not to mention Scarlett will witness something that will force her to finally to step up and confront something that she's been avoiding for a good while and let's just say it changes her relationship with a certain person! Anyway i'm really excited about doing season three especially with all the originals more specifically Kol! I really cannot wait to post the chapter where Scarlett and Kol meet because it's rather interesting and they certainly make an impression on each other...  
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Damon sat on his bed leaning against the headboard with a glass of scotch in his hand trying to let the reality sink in, these last few hours he spent most of his time trying to figure out how to save Elena from being killed in the first place to prevent her from dying and becoming a vampire not to mention kill Klaus to worry about his vampire bite. But Klaus was gone for the meantime, Elena was dead and they had just buried Jenna and John which made Damon think about his morality or rather Scarlett's many lectures about it to him. _"For god's sake Damon what is with you and all these close calls! First Logan shooting you, the tomb incident, then the device and the fire, being shot with a crossbow and now this? Seriously? Do you have a death wish or something? Just because you may be a vampire that doesn't mean that you can't die you moron."_

Damon wearily laughed as he thought about his ever-eccentric niece who he was well aware was watching him from the doorway. She had been there for about five minutes and he knew she was waiting for him to say something. "You're lurking."

"I learnt from the best." Scarlett said running into the room and jumping onto the bed and sitting beside him, she was still wearing the dress she wore to the funeral. There was only one reason why she was and Damon knew it was because Stefan had told her about the werewolf bit given that Scarlett had made it perfectly clear how she felt about the two of them and how she wasn't coming back home. But yet she was here. Things must be bad if she had decided to come back to the house. When she said something, she usually meant it and didn't go back on it as she was very stubborn, there was no doubt about that not to mention she was very quick to lose her temper and it needed no explanation as her temper was well known around town to be very fiery and that you didn't want to be on the receiving end of it. Damon was certain that Scarlett got that from him.

"Stefan told you." Damon said stating the obvious.

"You don't say." Scarlett retorted in an irritated manner before slapping Damon repeatedly in the arm. "You idiot! What the hell is wrong with you? What is it with you and werewolves you stupid moron? Do you ever learn!?"

Damon couldn't help but laugh, it was nice to see that Scarlett wasn't sugar coating things with him despite the fact that he was dying and as he looked at her he saw the same blue eyes he had look back at him alight with fury. "Aww, you worried about me Red?"

"Don't be so ridiculous!" Scarlet snapped, her temper once again coming out and Damon knew she was lying, she couldn't help but care it was just apart of who she was. It was one of the many things she got from her father, although patience wasn't one of them. Like her father she was very accepting of others and cared very much from her family, not to mention the resemblance between father and daughter.

"Big fat liar." Damon retorted.

"Let me see it then!" Scarlett said holding out her arm and Damon knew she wanted to see him arm, more specifically his werewolf bite and he eyed her wearily before he showed her, regardless she was going to yell at him he rolled up his sleeved.

"Looks painful."

"It is." Damon admitted.

"Good." Scarlett quipped. "It will serve as a painful reminder next time you want to want to piss of a werewolf you idiot."

"Red…" Damon began because his niece was seemingly in denial about his inevitable death and if this was anyone else he would have been blunt and straight to the point and yelled at them until they expected the fact he was going to die. But not Red. Not after what he did to Zach, killing him hadn't been a mistake at the time but Damon regretted especially after Scarlett had tried to kill herself and then wound up in the hospital and he found out about her heart condition. He had broke an already very fragile girl into a million pieces and she sat here next to him, still on half fixed despite her efforts to pretend otherwise. It was pretty much the worse thing he had ever done in his life.

"We will find someway to cure that damn bite and I won't hear anything to suggest otherwise, so what do you want to say?" Scarlett quizzed.

Damon laughed as he watched his niece fiddle with her hair, she was too blunt and straightforward for own good but it was rather amusing how she didn't take any bullshit from anyone. "Can I ask you something?"

"No I am not writing your will." Scarlett drily replied which caused Damon to laugh.

"Why are you here? You made it perfectly clear where thing stood between us this morning and the last couple days Red…" Damon asked although he was pretty sure that he knew the answer to the question, as mad as Scarlett would get with them and no matter she yelled and hit them and said she hated them, they were her family and they honestly didn't deserve her. He was going to miss her despite how much of a pain in the ass she could be but she could cook worth a damn.

"I'm not answering that for obvious reasons." Scarlett said as she moved on to fiddling with the round silver locket around her neck.

"I lied to you." Damon admitted and he just watched as one of Scarlett's eyebrows lifted up and he saw her mouth curve into a smirk.

"You lie to me all the time, that's not new information to me Damon in fact you lie to me so much that it doesn't even phase me anymore because I rarely believe a single word you tell me." Scarlett said with a small frown and Damon couldn't help but laugh, just couldn't het one past that girl. She was very good at reading him although he had to pretend otherwise.

"The first time we met wasn't the first time that we met." Damon announced which caught Scarlett's attention and he had to swallow a lump in his throat before he began. "The first time we met was when you were a week old, I had heard about the latest arrival to the family so I came to town to met the yet to be nicknamed Baby Mini Red. Then the next time we met was on your first birthday, your mother hadn't completely gone anti vampire and hoped that she could convince Stefan and I to bury the hatchet so she had us come."

"Did we not just have a conversation about lying only two minutes ago?" Scarlett demanded.

"For once I'm not lying because I was there and Stefan will you tell that and he'll also confirm that I was the one who brought you that necklace that is sitting around your throat. I figured I'd have to give you something for such a momentous day and I thought it would help me compete for your attention but apparently not. For a fat cherub baby you were surprisingly fond of me and not so fond of St. Stefan." Damon said watching as Scarlett's blue eyes grew wide as spaceships which was new one, as she was rarely taken by surprise or rendered speechless.

"You gave me my locket?" Scarlett asked in a shaky tone of voice which she tried to disguise but Damon noticed although he chose not to as his niece was a very proud young woman who was part Italian and not to mention a Salvatore.

"Figured I'd have to give you something then your dad to give it you in a few years time and I did what I thought was a favour and put vervain in as at that time I wasn't aware of the family secret vervain supply." Damon wirily said. "You were a funny baby, not making sense and always slapping people's cheeks with your chubby fists, nothing's changed there…"

"Oi!" Scarlett howled.

"That was day that we all spent as a family; your grandparents, your parents and then your three uncles. After that day, it was the last time Stefan and I saw each other before we came back a few months ago. But that's how I knew who you were when I came home because I had seen you before." Damon revealed.

"Can I tell you a secret?" Scarlett quietly said taking a heartfelt sigh after she finished speaking and Damon knew whatever she had to say was not going to be easy for her given how quiet and unlike herself she currently sounded. It was rare to see the confident and brash not to mention stubborn girl who he was so used to arguing with act so unlike herself.

"Go ahead, dead man can't reveal secrets." Damon replied expecting Scarlett to laugh but she didn't instead she just looked blankly ahead of her with this vacant look in her eye which concerned Damon but he just waited for when she felt ready to speak.

"I don't want you to die."

"Neither do I."

He could have responded with a sarcastic comment but Damon chose not to, it was one of the few moments that the two had where there were no jokes, no sarcasm and especially not any insults. It was the few times that they were serious with each other and it was an odd sort of comfort to both in them, in times like these especially when it could be their last.


	60. Chapter 60

_Yello, we are finally at the end of season two! Hurrah! Now i'll be honest this chapter took me forvever to write and i have not started season three yet and i have no idea how i'm going to start it so it is highly likely that a chapter will be posted tomorrow but depending on how i feel tomorrow so you may be lucky, if not then bad luck! Because i do have other things to do with my life then make you all happy by updating and i have to say now that starting from the 16th there will not be an update everyday as i go back to uni, it'll probably go down to three updates a week, i'm not really sure it all depends on my timetable and everything else going on in my life but that's over a week again. So you'll have some more updates in the next few days so enjoy because it will be worth it xx  
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Scarlett groaned as she felt the sun glaring on her face and rubbing her eyes she wearily sat up and looking around she saw that she was in the dress she wore to the funeral not to mention that she was in Damon's room. She couldn't remember falling asleep, in fact the last thing she recalled was talking to Damon about that never ending question of what came first, the chicken or the egg? Trivial stuff to some but it was a hard pressing issue for the two of them. Sitting up Scarlett saw that Damon was nowhere to be found and so she clambered out of the bed and out of the room to go find him but as she did Scarlett ran right into Stefan. "Jesus Christ! What is it with everyone in this family and lurking? Doesn't anybody know how to make any damn noise!?" she hissed.

"Oh your finally up, I was just about come and wake you." Stefan began.

"No I'm sleep walking!" Scarlett began in a huffy tone, she had woken up in a very grumpy mood given the situation with Damon and she suspected that she'd be in a very bad moon for the foreseeable future unless they remedied this werewolf bite thing. "Where's your brother?"

"I had to lock him in the basement after he tried to kill himself."

"WHAT?!" Scarlett roared as she felt her heart start beating a little two fast and she had to take a step back and take a couple of breaths. The way things were looking at the moment was that Damon was going to die and take Scarlett with him and she wasn't exactly happy about this prospect. If it wasn't for the fact that he was dying then there would be nothing to stop Scarlett from going to the basement and strangling him with her bare hands. But on the other side it was good to know that she wasn't the only one in this messed up family of hers who had suicidal tendencies.

"Yeah I know. He took off his ring and stood facing a window hoping to kill himself via the sun and bursting into flames, but he's fine for the most part except he's getting weaker by the hour." Stefan wearily said

"We need to do something, we're running out of time." Scarlett grimly replied, given how bad she recalled Damon's bite being last night and the time since then he didn't have much time left based on what happened with Rose and her bite.

"That's why I came to wake you, I went to Bonnie and asked if there was something we could do to help so she tired communicating with the hundred dead witches to ask how to cure a werewolf bite and Emily spoke through Bonnie and said there was a way but she didn't want to tell us. But when they severed the connection Bonnie heard them say Klaus…" Stefan revealed.

"Klaus? He's the answer to all of our problems? The Big Bad Hybrid Klaus?" Scarlett demanded feeling as if she had aged ten years during the entire duration of this conversation. The guy who could possible save them was the same man who made up an entire fake curse so he could break the actual curse that he been placed on him. This was going to be complicated to say the least.

"Yeah I know, but we've got to try." Stefan said.

"But we're getting a little ahead of ourselves here, to even attempt that we need to find Klaus first and no one has seen him since Elijah ran off with him during the sacrifice and I seriously doubt were going to run into him roaming Mystic Falls strolling around with a spring in his step whistling a merry tune as he goes." Scarlett replied.

"I know. But I figured we'd start at Alaric's apartment given how he's compelled Katherine to stay there and he's bound to back to deal with her eventfully but if he's not there she may know something that could help." Stefan reasoned.

"Okay, what are you waiting for?" Scarlett questioned.

"You. I've called Rick to come over and watch Damon, the two of us are going find a way to save Damon but you might want to get changed first Scarlett…" Stefan said motioning to the dress that Scarlett was still in and nodding she headed back to her room to get changed and half an hour later they arrived at Alaric's apartment and when they walked in they saw Katherine sitting on the bed looking bored out of her damn mind. "Hello Katherine."

"Two days, I've been waiting. I'm supposed to be free of Klaus' compulsion by now. He's supposed to be dead!" Katherine stated as she got up off the bed and started stomping around in her usual prima donna fashion, which had gotten boring not to mention tiresome a long time ago.

"We ran into complications.."

Katherine scoffed in disbelief. "Complications?"

"Doesn't really matter at the moment. We just need to find him. So do you have any idea where he might be? Given that we all know that he's coming back eventually to deal with you." Scarlett began only to be interrupted when Katherine threw her onto the bed and pushed Stefan up against the wall and motioned for them to be quiet moments later Klaus and Elijah – who Scarlett had been shocked to find out was Klaus' older brother – walked in.

"Klaus, you're back. Look who decided to come for a visit…" Katherine began in sweet manner and Scarlett dragged herself off the bed and straightened out her hair.

Klaus quietly laughed. "You just keep popping up, don't you? The two infamous Salvatore's; the ripper who humans fear and then the teenaged human girl who fears no one but vampires fear her. The two of you come from quite the odd and fascinating family."

"That's funny coming from one half of the Brother's Grim and Grimmer." Scarlett retorted, she wasn't really in the mood for tossing jokes around but it just came out before she could do anything about it.

"Your funny, I like that."

"I try, very hard. But I'm not here for you to compliment me on my warped sense of humour; we're here because we need your help with something." Scarlett replied, setting all jokes as it was time to gets serious as Damon's life did hang in the balance.

Stefan continued from where Scarlett left off. "We need your help... For my brother."

Well, whatever it is, it's gonna have to wait a tick. You see, I have an obligation to my brother that requires my immediate attention." Klaus said in rather bored manner and let's just say it just furthered Scarlett increasingly bad mood and grumpy state of mind.

Elijah sensing this turned to Scarlett. "You understand how important family is, or you wouldn't be here Scarlett, you one told me that they are your main motivation for everything and my brother gave me his word that he would reunite me with my own."

"And so I shall." Klaus said with a small smile before proceeding to put a dagger through Elijah's heart, killing him and then pushing Stefan up against a wall. "Now, what am I gonna do with you?"

"What the hell are you doing?" Scarlett demanded only to be pulled back by Katherine, she knew Klaus was an evil bastard but killing his own brother? That was just down right cold blooded and harsh not to mention ruthless given that Elijah did save him from being killed by Bonnie. So watching Klaus kill him was the last thing that Scarlett was expecting. But then again who was she to comment on it as she came from a family who tended to kill other relatives i.e Damon plus he and Damon and Stefan were always trying to kill each other.

Klaus laughed before stabbing Stefan. "Do you feel that? It's scraping against your heart. The slightest little movement and you're dead."

"He's just trying to help his brother, unlike you who has no problem murdering your brother in cold blood, you know everyone said that Elijah was the Easter bunny compared to you and they were right, you really are the Big Bad Klaus." Scarlett spat in an absolute disgust.

"The witches said you had a cure. Make me a deal. Just give me the cure, and I'll do whatever you want…" Stefan groaned and moments later Klaus pulled out the stake and Stefan fell onto the floor and Klaus walked over to the kitchen island and poured himself a glass of blood.

"Trouble is I don't know if you'd be any good to me the way you are now. You are just shy of useless…" Klaus told Stefan raking a sip of his drink and motioning for Scarlett to come over and join him and she slowly did although she was dragging her feet rather so slowly.

"What?"

"Blunt and straight to the point, I like that in you in fact I like you rather a lot Scarlett, your full of sass and you don't give a damn about anything. The angel with the broken halo who doesn't fear vampires. I find the fact that you don't even fear any vampire rather amazing I assuming that it also applies to hybrids. " Klaus noted.

"Damn straight." Scarlett idly quipped.

"May I ask why? Your either the most bravest person I've ever met or the stupidest if you don't mind me saying."

Scarlett briefly looked over to where Stefan was still laying on the floor before looking back at Klaus. "I'm not brave and I'm certainly not stupid, I just have a lot of common sense and apparently more so than anyone else. You want to know why I'm not scared of you the big bad hybrid? It's simple really, it's because there are worst things in this world than vampires, werewolves, hybrid, witches and made up curses.

"Like what?"

"Rape, domestic violence, poverty, war, I could go on really..." Scarlett said slowly as if she was plucking each word out of the air and her lips curved into a small smile as she noticed the odd yet fascinated look that Klaus was giving her. "And you were wrong yet again Mr. Big Bad Hybrid."

"And how so?" Klaus questioned.

"My halo isn't broken, it's just crooked and in need of a bit of a repair but that's how I like it." Scarlett replied.

"I have to say you are without a doubt the strangest yet most sane teenager that I think I've ever come across in my life. Your very different from all the other teenagers here." Klaus said.

Scarlett rolled her eyes as she was getting slightly bored with all this talk about her, although she was rather at a loss who the conversation turned to her because it all began after she insulted and yelled at him. But here they were now and Scarlett had to steer the conversation back to getting his help. "We need your help and you've made it clear that you seemingly aren't interested but I assume your willing to negotiate on something of interest to you?"

"Clever girl."

"What do you want Klaus?" Scarlett questioned.

"I heard about this one vampire, crazy bloke, always on and off the wagon for decades. When he was off, he was magnificent. 1917, he went into Monterrey and wiped out an entire migrant village…" Klaus said before turning to look in the direction of Stefan. "A true ripper. Sound familiar?"

Scarlett felt her jaw harden and she didn't look away from Klaus because she knew he was talking about Stefan and his deep dark sordid and bloody past, the animal he used to be before Lexi got her hands on him. "He hasn't been that way in a very long time and he's not going to be, so what else do you want?"

Klaus let out a dramatic sigh, which caused Scarlett to roll her eyes. "Well, that's the vampire I can make a deal with. That is the kind of talent that I can use when I leave this town."

"Scarlett…" Stefan began as he stood back up.

"No." Scarlett simply but firmly stated.

"Katerina, come here." Klaus said motioning for Katherine to come over and as she does Klaus takes her arm and his face changes more specifically his eyes become yellow and he bit her.

"Aah! Aah! No. No... No. No. No." Katherine cried until Klaus bit his wrist and made Katherine drink his blood and once she stopped they all watched as her wound healed and Klaus looked at both Scarlett and Stefan with a smug smirk on his face and Scarlett felt as if she had been kicked in the stomach.

"You want your cure? There it is." Klaus gloated.

Stefan looked at Klaus confused at the recent developments. "Your blood is the cure."

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Gotta love Mother Nature. Now... Let's talk." Klaus smirked as he went into a a cupboard and pulled out a vile before grabbing a knife and slicing his hand open and proceeding to squeeze his blood into the vile as they all watched. "There it is Stefan. You want to save your brother? How 'bout a decade-long bender? And I have big plans for you when we leave this town."

"What part of he's not like that anymore do you simply not understand Klaus? Your not taking him and he's definitely not going on some blood drinking decade vacation with you. Never happening." Scarlett firmly stated, he'd have to kill he before she ever let that happen. She may not be on the best of terms with Stefan but there was no way she was handing him off to Klaus.

"Well, that's too bad. You would have made a hell of a wingman." Klaus said with a bemused sigh as he started to pour the blood down the sink and Scarlett was at a loss of what to do as she wanted to save Damon but not at the expense of losing Stefan to Klaus.

"Wait!" Stefan called out.

"Now that's more like it. I want you to join me for a drink." Klaus happily replied as he stopped pouring the blood down the drain and instead chucked Stefan a blood bag who he took a small sip of it. "Finish it. All of it. You do everything I say, and I save your brother. That's the deal."

"Stefan don't, there has to be another way…" Scarlett began because she knew he'd lose his way if drank that blood, he'd be so consumed by it that his internal darkness would take over and his desire for human blood would overpower the person he truly was.

"There is no other way Scarlett, I have to do it. We promised each other that we'd save Damon and this is the only way that we can, I've lost you already and I can't lose him." Stefan said as he proceeded to drink the rest of the blood and Klaus passed him another blood bag and Scarlett just wanted to throw up, but the good thing is you can't be sick if you haven't eaten all day as there's nothing to throw up.

"Again."

Scarlett could only stand back and watch as Stefan kept drinking all the blood bags that Klaus kept giving him and she could slowly see as he was starting to lose himself the more he drank and that the ripper inside him was emerging with the more blood he was drinking. "You're a monster." Scarlett snapped at Klaus who seemed to be getting a kick over this…

"So are you love, I'm just more open about it." Klaus kipped and opening her mouth to respond Scarlett was interrupted her phone buzzing in her pocket and pulling it out she saw that there was a text from Elena that simply read. _'Damon is getting worse, he's asking for you. _"Problem?" Klaus questioned sensing something was up.

"Nothing for you to worry about." Scarlett said as she moved away from Klaus and made her way over to where Stefan was sitting on the floor finishing off another blood bag. Grabbing the bag Scarlett tossed it to the slide and forced Stefan to look at her and she had to blink away the tears as she noticed how vacant his eyes seemed to be getting. "Listen to me careful, something is wrong with Violetta so I need to go and check up on her, will you be okay?" Scarlett asked knowing it was a redundant question.

Stefan feebly nodded and Scarlett just sighed as she stood up ignoring the puzzled look Klaus was giving her. "Whose Violetta?"

"One of her cats." Katherine provided.

As much as Scarlett didn't want to leave until Klaus finally was satisfied enough to fork over the cure, Damon wanted her and given how sick and dying he was she'd go to him because he asked for her. Regarding the speed limit Scarlett drove as fast as she could back to the boarding house. When she arrived Scarlett ran up the stairs up to Damon's room and as she opened the door she heard Damon talking with Elena as they both laid exceeding close together on the bed.

"…I know you love Stefan. And it will always be Stefan. But I love you. You should know that." Damon murmured and for any normal person they wouldn't have heard but living Damon did have perks like being very adapt at eavesdropping. If it was an Olympic sport the two of them would get the gold and silver medals.

"I do." Elena whimpered.

"You should have met me in 1864. You would have liked me…" Damon said as swallowed rather loudly and Scarlett watched as Elena raised her up to look at him more clearly and Scarlett got a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"I like you now. Just the way you are." Elena said and Scarlett couldn't exactly describe in words how she felt or anything in general as she watched Damon's eyes close and saw Elena proceed to kiss. But she knew recalled the conversation she had with Rose before she died about the Damon/Elena/Stefan situation and how she'd step in when she thought she needed to and Scarlett knew this was the moment. She had to do something because she refused to let another doppelgänger tear apart Damon and Stefan, too many people died last time and it seemed like history was repeating itself and Scarlett refused to let that happen.

Scarlett chose not to say anything at first instead walking round the bed until she reached the foot of it before proceeding to cough really loudly to make her presence known and when she did Elena practically jumped out of her skin. "I got your message and came as fast as I could…

"It's not what you think Scarlett…" Elena began quickly getting of the bed.

"You don't know what I think it is but I'll tell you now, I think it's exactly what I think it is." Scarlett said in a dismissive tone, she'd deal with Elena later but she was focusing on Damon in order to stop worrying about what on earth Klaus was making Stefan do next. "So you wanted to see me? Glad to see you've stopped with this suicide mission of yours otherwise my hands would be around your neck right now."

"Thanks Red…" Damon murmured.

"Well, it's me you should be thanking. I mean, I'm the one who brought the cure." A voice said and Scarlett turned to see Katherine standing where she had been only two minutes ago. For once in the duration that the two of them had met and know each other, Scarlett and Katherine shared a moment of respect and non-hostility for each other and briefly nodded to each other before Katherine turned to Elena. "I thought you were dead."

"I was." Elena admitted.

"You got free." Damon murmured as Katherine sat down on the bed with the vile of Klaus' blood in her hands.

Katherine sounded rather pleased with herself as she made Damon dink the blood. "Yep. Finally. "

"And you still came here?

"I owed you one." Katherine replied briefly touching Damon's face before getting up off the bed and walking to stand next to Scarlett and the two of them shared a look. Katherine having the cure meant one thing; Stefan was finally satisfied Klaus and now belonged to him. She felt like crying right at this moment.

"Where's Stefan?" Elena questioned and neither Scarlett or Katherine answered. "Where is he?"

"He's paying for this. Where the hell do you think we've been all day Elena? He told you we were going to find a cure for Damon and we did but it was with Klaus and he wasn't going to give over the cure easily. He wanted something; he wanted Stefan. Klaus wouldn't budge on it, he was adamant about it so Stefan agreed and gave himself over to Klaus. I wouldn't expect him anytime soon." Scarlett stated biting her lip in order not to cry.

"What do you mean, "he gave himself over"?" Elena questioned.

"He just sacrificed everything to save his brother, including you. It's a good thing you have Damon to keep you company. Good-bye, Elena. Oh. It's ok to love them both. I did." Katherine said before handing over the rest of the vile to Scarlett and taking her leave and the room was just silent.

"She's wrong. It's not okay to love them both, not the way Katherine is talking about. You can't have them both and I won't let what happened in 1864 happen again. Too many people were hurt because of a Petrova doppelgänger, I won't let my family be turn apart and ruined because of your line." Scarlett stated.

"Stefan's gone?" Damon questioned.

"Pretty much. Back to being his ripper side of drinking human blood and being Klaus' wingman for what the hybrid describes as a ten year bender and god knows what he has in plan for the two of them but it can't exactly be good now can it?" Scarlett vented as she kicked the foot of Damon's bed before turning to Elena was still standing around looking like Bambi after his mother was killed. "Elena, you should go home as this no longer concerns you."

"Doesn't concern me?" Elena demanded.

"Just go!" Scarlett yelled with such ferocity that even Damon winced and Elena just fled from the room leaving Scarlett and Damon who looked at her for a moment before motioning for her to come and join him on the bed so Scarlett did, she kicked off her shoes and joined Damon.

"Purge. Tell me what happened."

"I t-tried to find other way to get the cure form Klaus, anyway that didn't involve Stefan going to down the path that he's now on but there was no negotiating with Klaus, he knew what he wanted and that was Stefan. He knew about Stefan's past and that's why he wanted him. I asked Stefan not to do it, that we'd find some other way but we both knew there wasn't so he agreed knowing full well what Klaus wanted from him." Scarlett wearily said.

"We'll get him back Red." Damon assured her.

"That's the thing I don't think we will, I watched as Klaus made him drink litre after litre of blood and as I did I watched Stefan disappear further and further away and I actually think he's gone and we won't be able to get him back…"


	61. Chapter 61

_So first chapter into season three... Been a bit of a time jump but only a few weeks and it's pretty much self explanatory, enjoy xx _

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Paddling into the kitchen Scarlett made her way over to the fridge and grabbed an energy drink but before she even had a chance to open it let alone close the fridge door Matt walked into the kitchen and gave Scarlett a disapproving look before taking the drink off her and putting it back in the fridge. "What on earth were you thinking? You know the rules Scarlett."

"But Matt..." Scarlett began knowing that arguing with him was pointless as Matt was going to win as he had been doing for the last two weeks. But today she really needed the caffeine as it was going to be a really long day for her.

"No don't even try it with me Scarlett, you have a serious heart condition and since you starting taking medication for it I've been doing some reading in the library and i spoke to Dr. Parker about your condition and what triggers it and you know that caffeine is one of those triggers and that we're taking it out of your life. I know your not happy but we had to reevaluate your dietary needs for your own good. You'll thank me for this later on, trust me." Matt stated as he put the energy drink back in the fridge.

"You'd make a good husband someday." Scarlett noted.

"Is that you offering?" Matt quipped.

Scarlett laughed, she hadn't expected Matt to come back with something that quick and what he said. It was clear that the two of them had been spending too much time together because Matt was becoming very proficient with comebacks and insults that. "Perhaps."

"You'd make the worse wife ever Scarlett."

"Thanks…" Scarlett sarcastically said.

"I wasn't finished, you'd be the worst wife ever that you'd actually be a rather good wife in manner of speaking." Matt said.

"Are you just saying that to see me in a wedding dress and an apron." Scarlett quipped and the two of them both started laughing, they were kind of like an old married couple just without the married and couple but because they were just friends. Scarlett liked living with Matt because not only was it was easy but she was living with her best friend, they'd go to work and do their thing to pay the bills then hang out occasionally going their own ways to do their separate things. But either way it was nice, it was sense of normalcy that Scarlett had in a very long time.

"And plans for today?" Matt questioned moving along.

"Damon called earlier he wants me to come over to the house so we can talk about the only thing we ever talk about these days." Scarlett grimily said as she boosted herself up on to the kitchen counter."

"Stefan."

"Yeah." Scarlett replied with a sigh, the whole Stefan leaving with Klaus was a rather sore point with Scarlett and as such she didn't like talking about it, she just kind of shut herself off from it and carried on with her life as best as she could. It was easier for her heart if she got on with it but it was constantly at the back of her mind as it had been five weeks since Stefan and Klaus had left town and no one had heard from them since in a manner of speaking, Scarlett knew that Damon was trying his best to track them but so far there wasn't any luck.

"You don't sound like you want to go."

"Things are at an all time low for us and I'm not exactly in a rush to change that to be honest." Scarlett admitted, she was glad that Damon was alive but it didn't the fact that he betrayed her not to mention the whole Elena thing. The two of them hadn't exactly talked about it specifically although their had been several hits and vague comments about it. "But I need to check that he hadn't turned the house into a brothel or burned it down plus check that my cats are okay and then after that I'm going shopping with Caroline…"

"Oh." Matt quietly said and Scarlett wanted to kick herself for bringing Caroline up because she was kind of Tyler now and things were just awkward now given that Matt still had feelings for Caroline.

"It's nothing, just a pity party for my sake because she thinks I'm either in denial or repressing my feelings about everything so she's taking me shopping in order to get me to terms with everything." Scarlett said with a wave of her hand to show that it was nothing important.

"And are you?" Matt questioned.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

Matt took a baited breath and wearily looked at Scarlett. "You haven't a word about what happened when you and Stefan were with Klaus, just that the two of them were gone for good and that's it, no further explanation and then I walked past last night to get some water and were tossing and turning in your sleep, you seemed really distressed and you kind of look like she haven't slept."

"I'm fine."

"You've said that everyday for five weeks Scarlett." Matt pointed out and a smirk couldn't help the smirk that was tugging in the corner of her lips.

"If that's true then why doesn't anyone believe when I say it? I'm fine, really…" Scarlett said with a small smile but she knew Matt knew otherwise but wouldn't press the subject, that was one of the great things about Matt, he accepted things without a big explanation. And so he left to go to work and Scarlett left to make her way to the boarding house and twenty minutes later she arrived and was greeted to by Violetta when she walked in and Scarlett picked her up. It was hard for Scarlett to be away from her cats but we're settled her and they'd probably not adjust to being at Matt so it was better off if they stayed here. Lucrezia was no where to be seen, no doubt skulking around the house. "Hi Vi, let's go find the mad man…"

It didn't take Scarlett too long Damon as he was in the library drinking as per usual and instead of saying anything she just sat down on armchair with Violetta in her lap. "Red."

"Damon." Scarlett frowned.

"I don't like you call me that I much prefer Uncle Damon if I'm being honest." Damon idly said and Scarlett just rolled her eyes, she had told him several times over the last week that she wasn't calling him Uncle Damon again, he had lost the right to be acknowledged as her uncle when he gave away her house.

"You wanted to see me." Scarlett began getting straight to the point, she didn't want to be here any longer than she had to.

"How are you?"

"Peachy."

"Medication?"

"I'm responding well to it and I'm fine in general, Matt has made me change my died and cut down on work plus we go for a light jog every morning, things look for me right now and it doesn't look like I'll develop tachycardiomyopathy or go into congestive heart failure so enough about me and how I'm doing, what do you want Damon?" Scarlett questioned.

"I need your help." Damon began.

"When do you not need my help? But forget it, I'm not helping you find Stefan. You've been skating around the subject with me for weeks and I knew eventually ask me but I decided to beat you before you asked me. And I'll say it again, I'm not helping you."

"Why not?"

"We made a deal with Klaus, we have to honor it." Scarlett slowly.

"Who are you? Elijah or something?"

"Elijah is dead, Klaus killed him." Scarlett slowly said, she still felt bad in a way because all it seemed was that Elijah wanted to be reunited with his family. "But Stefan knew what he was doing when he agreed to Klaus' terms and what the hell do you think will happen if we try and go back on it? Do you really expect to find Klaus and ask for Stefan back after he promised to spend a decade with him on a blood bender in order to get the cure to save you? He will laugh at you and most likely kill you for good!"

"We can't just sit around and do nothing! This is Stefan we're talking about and if it was you who was with Klaus, Stefan would be looking for you in a heartbeat."

"Good thing a dead man's heart doesn't beat then." Scarlett retorted.

"What is your problem?"

"Seriously? You want to know my bloody problem? It's you and your brother, ever since you came back to town it has been one ordeal after the other with you and I'm getting sick of watching both your backs, looking out for you both to stop you from doing something stupid but no you two never listen! We wouldn't be here if you two had left two months ago, so just give me one reason why I should help you."

"Because he saved your life." Damon retorted.

"Are you forgetting that you were the one who drove me to try and kill myself? Because I haven't…" Scarlett replied. "I remember having a bad feeling in my stomach for days and then coming home to see a dead crow in the house and then running after Stefan when he realized that you had gotten out of the basement. I can recall getting to the basement and seeing Zach laying there dead because of a broken neck thanks to you."

"Red…"

"No let me finish, I can still see it my head like it was yesterday as I pleaded for Stefan to save him only to crumble to the ground in nerve wracking terms when he told me there was nothing to do. I can just remember crying and then Stefan leaving and me being alone. The raw feeling of grief clawing at my chest and feeling the emptiness inside and how I couldn't do any of this anymore, then I made my way to the bathroom and emptied the medicine cabinet before coming back down stairs with Lucrezia and swallowing the pills with a very large scotch. Then I woke up and proceeded to fall apart again. Because of you." Scarlett replied.

"Yeah you are right, that was all my fault and you'll never forgive me for it but think about Stefan. He watched you fall apart and be destroyed by grief, he stood outside your bedroom every night as you cried yourself to sleep. Never once during that time did he think of himself, his only concern was taking care of you and the pain you were in. You being hospitalized made things more clearer for him and he sought to 'reminded' me how the two of us were supposed to know better given you were the kid in all of this. You lost your way and he helped you back, I need you to do the same thing for him." Damon stated.

"Fine, I'll help but I'm not helping you I'm helping Stefan." Scarlett warned as she recalled Stefan explaining why he had to take Klaus' deal. 'I've lost you already and I can't lose him'

"Figured. You never hate him as much as you hate me."

Scarlet chose to ignore this in favor of stating the obvious before she jumped on team save Stefan. "You do understand the ramifications of going after Klaus? We're not dealing with just an original vampire but we are dealing with the only vampire werewolf hybrid in existence? And let's not forget how much of a temper he had and that he gets kind of pissy when people put a wrench in his plans. You do remember how Rose and Katherine were on the run hiding from him for five hundred years? Katherine is still hiding from him and there is that little fact that he massacred her whole family."

"Just like you but with the supernatural kick." Damon joked.

"This isn't funny, people have died already Damon, innocent people like John, Jenna, and others have died because of Klaus so you need to understand that this may not end well and that we need to be careful about how we go about this otherwise we'll end up dead and I was planning on getting past a birthday this year without my almost or actual death. So get it together already…" Scarlett hissed.

"Okay I got it, we need to be careful but welcome to operation track Stefan down and save him from the Big Bad Klaus." Damon quipped and Scarlett sighed, she had that bad feeling in her stomach again and right now she was more worried with Damon then she was about Stefan and what the hell he was doing with Klaus at this moment.


	62. Chapter 62

_Hello one and all, this is a shorter chapter than the last few have been as i couldn't see any way of making it further and i didn't want to skip over it as it's kind of important but the next chapter will be really long and will be yet another time jump to the episode 'The Birthday' and that'll be jam packed not to mention there will be an appearance by Stefan and you'll see how Scarlett's friendship with Elena is practically non-existent after she witnessed her kiss Damon, but until then enjoy but i may post it tonight if can actually right it in the next three and a half hours so fingers crossed xx  
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Scarlett sighed as stared at the screen of her laptop before proceeding to rub her eyes, she had been staring at it for hours and her eyes were starting to get all cross eyed so she shut the laptop and let out a loud yawn. She was exhausted because of this whole looking for Stefan and Klaus mission was very tiresome even with all the help they were getting from Sheriff Forbes, Alaric and Andie even Elena but they weren't exactly telling her the entire truth.

"Anything?"

Looking up Scarlett saw Damon walk back into the dining room and take a seat at the table where there was a map and dozens of papers scattered all over the table in their attempt to track down Stefan. They were keeping an eye on animal attack reports and a lot seemed to be coming in from the eastern seaboard over the last few weeks and they were pretty certain it was them as Scarlett and Damon had taken a couple of road trips to places where the bodies had been found and it was obvious that it was a work of vampire and a ripper out that. Then Damon just had to explain that after Stefan blacked up from drinking so much blood he often put his victims bodies back together. "No, I'm pretty certain that we've hit a brick wall very hard or I've just been reading the same sentence over for the past two and a half hours because I am finding nothing, no new bodies that have been 'attacked' by animals have popped up, nada…"

"Well that can't just disappear of the face of the world." Damon noted.

"You sure about that? We're talking about two vampires, and vampires have managed to go other a thousand years living in secret without their existence being exposed to the entire world…"

"You made a mistake Red it's actually one vampire and a hybrid but it's starting to get late and we've been working all day so I'll let that one slide and we'll take a short break for now." Damon corrected.

"Kill me now, please." Scarlett sighed.

"You look exhausted Red, here have some coffee…" Damon said as he slid the mug in front of him towards Scarlett but she shook her head and just pushed it back. "Your turning down coffee? You of all people? Your like the coffee queen."

"I don't drink coffee or any type of caffeine anymore as it can cause my heart get over excited so it's just one of the few things that I'm no longer allowed to have anymore, Matt's put me on some healthy diet and caffeine along with alcohol aren't on it. So no thank you." Scarlett replied with a small yawn

"So you and the quarterback?" Damon questioned. "What does your mother think about you shaking up and playing house the football player? I'm guessing she doesn't exactly approve…"

"She doesn't have to approve, she just has to pay for my medication and keep depositing money into my account every mouth. Claire knows that my life here is none of her business and if she wants to be in my life she has to accept that and this Matt thing is not what you think it is so get your mind out of whatever dirty gutter it's currently in, we're just friends. I'm the only person Matt really has and he's the only person I really have right now so… it's how it is." Scarlett retorted.

"Speaking of you, I have something to give you…" Damon began as he dug out a stack of papers from underneath another stack of papers and slid them over to Scarlett who picked them up and looked at Damon for an explanation. "It's the deed for the house, it no longer belongs to Elena as I had the deed put back into Zach's name until you turn twenty two but it's your again…"

"Oh."

"You'll move back in, right? The house doesn't belong to Elena anymore and you said you wouldn't come back until you got the house back." Damon said.

"It's not that simple anymore, things have changed the last couple of months between all of us and me moving out was a good thing and still is. You and Stefan betrayed me in the worst way and I can never forgive you for that and right now I don't trust you either. I trust you but then I don't trust you too, I told Stefan that me helping to save you was just a one off and after that things went back to me being estranged from you both and the same thing is in play here. I'll help bring Stefan home but in terms of me coming back here for good, that's not going to happen anytime soon." Scarlett replied and she could see that it hit Damon quite hard and he was no doubt at home but it was better for her to be honest with him.

"Ok, right…" Damon wearily said as he got up and went to pour himself a drink and after he did, he downed the entire thing before pouring himself another one.

Scarlett sighed as she slowly rose from her chair; Damon was getting upset although doing his best to pretend like he didn't care despite the two of them knowing full well that he didn't. "Look I'm not saying that I'll never come back because I will, this is my home and it always will be. I told you that this is place that if I ever get married then this where I want to get married and if I ever have kids–"

"Not if Red, it's when you have kids." Damon corrected and it caused Scarlett to smile, Damon had made a point of letting her know that she had to have kids in order to carry on the family line and any kids of hers would hold the Salvatore name.

"Like I was saying, when I have kids this is place I want to raise them and I want to grow old here and then pass the house down through the generations like it was or will be passed down to me. This thing with me living with Matt isn't permanent, I will come home eventually but I need a reason to come home and signing the deed back over to Zach's name isn't good enough. You need to try and fix what you did before I can ever think of coming home." Scarlett stated.

"Should have know you wouldn't make it easy for me Red but trust me I'll have you back in this house by Thanksgiving, in fact I'll have you back in here way before then. You'll be back here by the end of September tops and that's me being generous seeing as we're only in June at the moment. So you'd better start packing your bags!" Damon quipped.

"Anyway now that you've given me something, it's time for me to give you something." Scarlett began as she bent down and pulled out a small box that had been labelled 'scrap paper' that they had been using to hide the evidence of tracking Stefan away form Elena or so Damon thought. Lifting the box up Scarlett placed it on the table.

"You didn't…"

"Like I'd ever forget, it's not much but I reckon you'll like them and would have reason to use them both daily." Scarlett said with a small smile and watched as Damon opened the box and pulled out the first thing in the box. It was a silver hip flask, which she had gotten engraved one side with Damon's initials the other with her own personal message.

"_To the worst Uncle in the world, love your niece Red although I will kick your ass if you lose this – Scarlett._" Damon read with a small chuckle before putting it down and pulling the second of many things in the box; three bottles of his favourite bourbon and Damon just smiled at Scarlett, no smirk but an actual smile which caused her to smile back.

"Happy birthday Uncle Damon."


	63. Chapter 63

_Hello all, a new chapter for you all and it took longer than three and half hours but all is forgiven as it is worth it so enjoy xx_

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"Scarlett, what are you doing?"

Putting down the box she was carrying Scarlett stood up and looked at Caroline, she had been somehow and rather begrudgingly convinced to allow Elena's birthday party to be held here by Caroline because it was going give her an opportunity to lighten up and have some fun although Scarlett doubted this as everyone who went to her school who she didn't like which was practically everyone except Matt, Jeremy and Caroline were coming here and Scarlett wasn't big on people or people being at her house. Not to mention that there was going to be alcohol here and she didn't do alcohol. "Moving all the valuables out of the way and into any available space in the closest, what do you think I'm doing?"

"Is that really necessary Scarlett?" Caroline questioned.

"Caroline this house has been in my family for over fifty years, it was built after the original Salvatore Estate was destroyed during the battle of Willow Creek and most of the stuff in this house are antiques…" Scarlett began stopping briefly when Elena walked into the room before continuing. "And that's how I'd like to keep that way so hence me putting them away before I allow stupid idiotic teenagers for a party which I don't even want to be happening here."

"Thank you for letting us have the party here." Elena began.

"Don't thank me Gilbert, I'm not doing this for you I'm doing as a big favor to Caroline and believe me when I say I intend to collect on it. Caroline is going to owe me big time and I mean big time for this especially if anything happened here."

"Nothing is going happen Scarlett, calm down already! Your going to set your heart off if you keep on like this so take a breathe, relax and trust me!" Caroline brightly said.

"I'll relax when this party is over and you've cleaned up all this crap because I don't want this party hear so I'm not cleaning it and whilst we're on that let's go over the ground rules one more time, as this is my home and I will not allow the stupid people we go to school with wreck my house. Niw the bedrooms are all of bounds, if I see or hear anyone upstairs or near my piano then the party is over and then I'm stab you with one of Rick's vervain darts, lock you up in my basement proceed to kick the crap out of you Caroline, I am being clear enough?"

"Crystal clear." Caroline said with a sigh.

"–Hey, I've got the beer! Where should I put it?" Tyler Lockwood asked as he strolled into the room much to Scarlett's surprise.

"Where you are is fine." Caroline replied and Tyler set the beer down.

"What is he doing Caroline? I told you that I didn't want him here, I told you several times that he wasn't welcomed here in fact I made that a condition when I agreed to let you throw a stupid party for Elena in my house and yet you ignored me!" Scarlett demanded.

"Nice to see you too Salvatore." Tyler sarcastically said.

"Lockwood shut up! If I want you to speak, I'll wave a snausage over your nose you stupid wolf!" Scarlett snapped in irritation before turning her head in the direction in Caroline waiting or rather demanding an answer. "I'm waiting Forbes and I'm not getting any less angry with each passing second."

"I know what you said Scarlett but it's Elena's birthday and after everything we've all gone through this year I thought you were just saying that and wouldn't actually mind Tyler being here…" Caroline mumbled.

"Well I do and I want him gone now!"

"Is this about Matt?" Caroline questioned.

"No it's not about Matt but now that you bring him up, it makes me want wolfgang paco out of here even more so get his dumb ass out of my house now Caroline!" Scarlett snapped.

"Scarlett…"

"No don't Scarlett me Caroline, you two may or may not be dating but flee bag wolf is not welcome here in my house. His mother is on my hit list for several reasons mostly for being a Class A bitch and always likes reminding me I'm that weird girl whose father killed himself then his Uncle tried to kill my Uncles several times, then Tyler almost killed you, Matt and Stefan then his little pack came into town and almost killed you Caroline then She-Wolf Jules broke in and bit Rose, who died from a werewolf bite before coming back to torture Damon with the wolf pack and then boy wolf over here almost killed Damon. We lost Stefan because of Tyler and to top that all of, I've always hated him because he's always be an arrogant asshole not to mention an absolute dick so he leaves now…" Scarlett angrily stated.

"C'mon Scarlett, aren't you being a tad bit unfair?" Caroline questioned

"This is my home Caroline and to get along in my house you have go along with what I say because I'm in charge and I will not have a Lockwood here especially Little Wolf Tyler. So he goes or there is no party."

"I'll go it's fine…" Tyler wearily begins.

"What can I do to convince you to let him come to the party?" Caroline pleaded.

"He comes and the party ends at eleven thirty, take it or leave it because I'm not negotiating with you because I don't want this party to go ahead anyway so I'm actually going to say the party ends at half eleven now because I'm sick of you convincing me of things that are making me uncomfortable…" Scarlett said before picking up the box she had put down on the floor and taking it to the closet towards the basement before going upstairs to her room where she received a call from Damon. "Hey, what's up?"

"How's the party arrangements coming along?" Damon questioned knowing full well that Scarlett really wasn't for this party and just asking to wind her up for the sake of it.

"Don't. Just don't, I already had a bitch out at Caroline because she wants Tyler to come but I agreed under the circumstances of the party of over by half eleven and I've stored all the breakable valuables away and I'm going to take a nap after this because I'm close to ripping someone's head off and by someone I mean Caroline, but enough about that what's going on with Tennessee?" Scarlett asked as Damon had gone with Rick to check out a possible lead to Stefan and Klaus' whereabouts in Tennessee

"Good news that Stefan has been here, bad news Stefan has been here and left quite the mess, it seems like he's having a bloody ball with Klaus and I've torched the house to cover their tracks but we did find something unusual. Chains that werewolves use to tie themselves up." Damon explained.

"Mindfuck… Do you think the two of them are looking for other werewolves?" Scarlett slowly asked.

"Maybe. Don't really know but we'll figure it out later just go take a nap and try not to kill anyone until we get back." Damon joked before ending the call and Scarlett just had to laugh at the fact that Damon of all people was telling her to try and not to kill someone. Instead of going over that statement Scarlett went to her bedroom and went to go take a nap. Several hours later she woke up in a fowl mood and given that she couldn't drink any alcohol to remedy that problem it put her into a further bad mood. Which she made obvious as she skulked around the party dressed in jeans and an old lacrosse t-shirt turning a rather blind eye to the stoner den that was in the library.

"You look miserable, I see that nap of yours didn't do any good."

Looking to her left Scarlett saw Damon standing to the left of her with the cockiest smirk on his face and Scarlet tried her hardest to ignore him but it was hard not to. "That obvious?"

"Yeah especially with that fuck off and get the hell out of my house stamp you have on your forehead Red, it's very intimidating but look I'm going to pick Andie up from the station as you look like you want to get out of here so I figured you could tag along with me and I'll need you to drive, don't worry the house will be fine as Rick has promised to take of things whilst we're gone." Damon explained.

"Sure, let me just grab my bag." Scarlett said in agreement and five minutes later they were off on their way with Scarlett driving Damon's car whilst he went on about Tennessee and how Rick was all over the place not to mention how he'd kill anyone who caught with his booze when they got back. When they arrived at the tv station Damon received a call from Elena who by judging what Scarlett overheard discovered the secret Klaus and Stefan tracking board in Damon's closet. Which was a problem although Damon quickly resoved it by hanging up the phone but when he did he spotted a purse on the floor and picked it up and then they ran into the last person they thought they'd see here; Stefan.

"Stefan…" Damon began.

"Hello Brother, Niece…" Stefan replied.

"You don't write, you don't call." Damon began in a joking manner and Scarlett just bit her tongue, she wasn't going to say anything at the moment she'd just see where Damon was going with this at the moment and intervene when she thought it was necessary. Although she wanted to know why Stefan was here.

"Need you to stop following me. Causing some problems." Stefan said seemingly reading her mind but made Scarlett wonder how he knew that they had been following him. It was all very odd.

Damon scoffed. "With who? Klaus? Are we supposed to care with he thinks?"

"What you're supposed to do is let me go and considering I did saw your life the least you could do is leave me alone and for once do what I ask, the both of you despite how hard the two of you find it to do what your told." Stefan came back which caused Scarlett's temper to flare up.

"Saw your latest artwork in Tennessee. Walking a fine line there my friend. Keep that up and there will be no saving you." Damon wistfully commented as if he was talking about a sunny day instead of his brother's ever increasing loss of humanity.

Stefan sighed in amusement. "See the thing is, I don't need any saving. I just want you to let me go."

"Nah, I got a birthday girl at home that's not gonna let me do that." Damon retorted.

"You know, maybe I haven't made my point. Hey, Andie you still there?" Stefan replied with a small nod before looking up and following his line of sight both Scarlett and Damon were shocked to the core to see Andie standing on a ledge up in the ceiling.

"Andie?" Scarlett said in a hoarse whisper before turning her attention back onto Stefan, she could feel heart start getting faster but she chose to ignore it during the current time being. "You didn't Stefan…"

"Damon? I can't move Damon. He told me that I can't move." Andie cried out and it was clear from her voice that she was scared stiffless and who wouldn't be if a situation like that? But what made it worse was how calm and pleased Stefan seemed to be with himself.

"No,no,no, it's okay, Andie. Stay calm." Damon said in a soothing tone of voice to calm Andie down before turning his attention back over to Stefan. "Not cool brother!

"Aw, come on! A little bit cool. Huh?" Stefan replied. "Hey, Andie. You can move now.

"No! No, no, no, no, no NO!" Damon called out and as he did Stefan grabbed him and pushed him against the wall as Andie fell and Scarlett could only watch as Andie fell to the ground and the tears began to sting at her eyes as she stumbled back, clutching her heart.

"I said let me go!" Stefan said gripping Damon round the neck and Scarlett tried to make her way over to them in order to get them to stop them from fighting but she took a few steps before her legs gave out and she fell forward. Barely managing Scarlett managed to roll herself onto her back.

"H-Help!" She called out in a strangled cry before she cried out in pain as the pain in her chest got increasingly worse, with her free hand she went into her bag and grabbed her medication but she couldn't open the cap because the child lock on it. Things went silent for a moment and she wasn't sure what was going on but then both Stefan and Damon appeared at her side.

"Red, c'mon where's your medication? Please don't tell me you left it at the house." Damon questioned as he helped Scarlett to sit up and she placed the bottle in his hand.

"Medication?" Stefan questioned.

"Yeah for her heart, she's been on it since you took off as she can't calm her heart down anymore, the meds are supposed to help her when she gets like this no thanks to you!" Damon snapped as he opened the cap and tipped out two pills.

"W-water, in b-bag…" Scarlett croaked out and Stefan pulled the mini water bottle out of her bag and moments later Damon fed Scarlett the pills and Stefan helped her swallow them with the bottle of the water. And the three of them sat there for a while before Scarlett couched and had to take several more sips of water. "A-Andie…"

Realizing that he had forgotten about her Damon ran over to her and Scarlett watched as he checked her over before dejectedly falling back and she knew that it meant that she was dead and she just sighed again before looking at Stefan. "Are you okay?" Stefan asked her.

"Why did you do that Stefan?" Scarlet questioned.

"I'm sorry but I had no other choice." Stefan said as he helped Scarlett on to her feet before disappearing before she could even blink and once he had left she turned her attention to Damon who was trying to pull himself together. The two of them decided to leave Andie's body there and make it look like an accident and so they headed back to the house in silence and when they arrived Scarlett lost Damon but she'd find him later, first she had to get rid of this party. So she went to where the sound system was plugged in and pulled it out and people began booing and groaning at the lost of music.

"Party is over, get out of here NOW!" Scarlett roared and not needing to be told twice everyone began fleeing which made Scarlett slightly glad that she was the most feared person in town if people were fleeing when she told them to as they were scared of her infamous temper. Not dwelling on this too long Scarlett set off for Damon's bedroom where she knew she'd probably find him as he'd most likely be alone and upstairs was the closest thing to privacy right now.

"…Why didn't you tell me that you've been tracking Klaus' victims?" Scarlett heard Elena demand as she walked into Damon's room.

"Because they're not Klaus' victims, Elena, they're Stefan's!" Scarlett announced and the birthday girl turned to her with a look of disbelief and shock. "He's left a trail of body parts up and down the eastern seaboard all summer long, we just watched him compel Andie to fall to her death."

"No. You're wrong." Elena says with a shake of her head.

"n: I've seen it happen before. He's flipped the switch, full blown ripper." Damon stated and Scarlett knew that he was starting to lose it and when he did it wouldn't be pretty at all, the two were very similar in personality and appearance but their tempers were identical.

"Stop it, Damon." Elena pleaded.

"No, you stop, Elena! Stop looking for him. Stop waiting for him to come home. Just stop! Stefan is gone and he's not coming back. Not in your lifetime." Damon yelled before storming out of the room and Scarlett looked at Elena before following Damon and she trailed him to Stefan's room and when they got there he looked at her for the longest time and then he lost it. He started tearing it apart, throwing things across the room and pulling bookshelves down basically breaking everything in sight. Scarlett just watches as Damon grabbed a guitar but instead of breaking it he dropped it and that's when he fell apart. Scarlett didn't hesitate and she made his way over to him and hugged because it was the only thing that she knew. The only thing that she possible could do so she did, hugged him for well over an hour until Damon seemed to have enough. "Red…"

"It'll be okay, somehow…" Scarlett wearily began.

"You can't say that, you saw what happened tonight! You were right all those months ago about Stefan being completely gone and he is! Stefan is gone as is Andie!" Damon angrily said in a rather strained voice.

"That was before, things have changed since then." Scarlett said.

"Like what?" Damon scoffed in sarcastic manner

"Me not being here to help and being too caught up in the small issues to focus on the big ones but that's going to change, we're going to get Stefan and if we have to deal with Klaus to get Stefan back then that's fine and if we have to lock him in the basement for thirty years then that's fine too because I'm coming home. I'm moving back home to save my family…"


	64. Chapter 64

_A new chapter and a little spoiler for you, keep your eyes peeled for the ghost world chapter as someone from Scarlett's past will be making an appearance and it will be shocking not to mention very emotional. And in the next chapter Scarlett will be helping to of her not so favourite people not to mention she'll have another run in with Klaus and finally meet Rebekah and things won't be as you'll expect them to be. There will be a shocking surprise in store for you all but you'll just have to wait until then i'm afraid, which will most likely be tomorrow...  
_

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Recent events had changed everything in Scarlett's life and everything was some sort of jumbled mess and it was kind of a mess to figure everything out but there was one person who she could count on to give her a usual perspective and that was Alaric, hence why Scarlett had called him and asked if she could stop by the Gilbert house to talk with him, after many months on sleeping on their couch and then leaving for a couple of days Alaric had finally or rather officially moved in with them and into Jenna's old room. But that wasn't the important thing at the moment, she needed to talk to someone who was on the same wave length as her most of the time and that was him. Knocking on the door, Scarlett waited for a little under thirty seconds until the door finally opened. "Hey Ric!"

"Hey Scarlett, come on in." Alaric said motioning for Scarlett to come on in into the house and after she came in he closed the door and led her into the living room. "You know I would have come to the house, you know? You didn't have to come all this way given that I heard that you've just moved back in to the boarding house…"

"Yeah, well it's more of a part time thing at the moment as I don't want to leave Matt but Damon needs me too so I splitting time between them for the meantime but I was in the area as I've got a shift at the Grill in half an hour and I'm probably going to crash at Matt's tonight as I have a an appointment with my cardiologist tomorrow so it's was easier for me to come to you." Scarlett explained.

"Nothing serious?' Alaric questioned.

"I'm fine, my doctor just wants to check my heart and see whether we need to adjust my medication and I need a new prescription so it's nothing too serious just a check up but whenever Damon hears the word heart, hospital and Dr. Parker he freaks out and makes a big deal out of it hence why I'm not with him right now." Scarlett replied.

"I was surprised to hear that you weren't going on this Chicago trip."

"You and me both but my heart isn't exactly in the best condition and after what happened at the tv station after Stefan made Andie fall Damon kind of wants me to take a back seat at the moment, as important as it is to find Stefan and get him away from Klaus, my health is kind of the important thing at the moment but that's not that I came to talk to you about, I wanted to talk to you about Damon." Scarlett began.

"Damon?"

Scarlett nodded her head. "Yeah I'm really worried about him as this thing with Stefan has been tearing up him and then Stefan killing Andie was something else, he lost it completely. Came back to the house and destroyed Stefan's room, he was just on a warpath destroying everything in sight until he stopped and just broke down. It was odd…"

"Odd?" Alaric questioned.

"It's like things have changed between Stefan and Damon, like their roles have been reversed, Stefan was the kind and caring one then good old Damon was the one who killed people close to the ones he was supposed to care about. He was the ruthless one who didn't care about anyone or anything, it's funny how things can change in a year. Even in my worst nightmares I didn't suspect any of this when Stefan came back to Mystic Falls last year…"

"Came back? They had been back here before last year?"

"Yeah on and off. The last time I saw Stefan was nine years ago he here was visiting us when my dad killed himself and then after that he left until he came back last year and I used to think that was the first time I had met as I knew Damon and Stefan visited back before I was born in order to be invited into the house but apparently not they had come to town on two separate occasions after I had been born, then Damon showed up after my father's funeral in order to be invited back in when my Uncle Zach inherited the house." Scarlett explained.

"Why are you so worried about him Scarlett? This is Damon we're talking about…" Alaric pointed out.

"Exactly the guy is unpredictable as he can go from charming jerk to psychotic killer in twenty seconds flat and I'm worried he's going to fall off the edge pretty soon and do something that will either get him or somebody else killed." Scarlett grimly said.

"And what do you want me to do?"

"Talk to him, there is only so much he'll listen to me as he see's me as his bitchy teenage niece with the attitude and authority problem with the bad heart but the two of you have this bromance thing going on. You drink together and like insulting each other and your basically friends although you don't exactly openly use the terms."

"Bromance, really?" Alaric sceptically asked

"I didn't come up with the term but the two of you are living it, so will you do it for me? I'll owe you one and I promise I'm good for it, I tend to stick to my word." Scarlett stated flashing Alaric her biggest and brightest smile in order to convince him to along with it.

"I'll do it but you have to tell me about the founders council."

"The founders council, eh? Why are you asking me that?" Scarlett asked in a very interested tone of voice, she knew that there would probably be a condition but she didn't think that Alaric would ask her about that and it made her interested as to why he wanted to know about the council.

"Because you know as well as myself and the rest of that you know everything that goes on into this town. So if I needed to ask certain questions about the founders council you'd be the only person that I would go to." Alaric replied.

"Why ask me? Why not ask Damon? I'm sure he'd be more than willing to spill the secrets of the founders council..."

Alaric couldn't help but laugh. "Because Damon may not tell me everything I want to hear as he's been known to stretch the truth a lot of the time and so I want to ask the only person who knows everything and will tell me what I need to hear especially if I've done her a favour. So that's my condition, I'll talk to Damon after you tell me about the founders council." Alaric stated.

"Rick I like you, very much but you talk to Damon first and then I'll tell you everything you've ever wanted to know and not know about the council but you also have to tell why you've suddenly become so interested in the council because as a future member well technically I should already be it but I should know about anything that concerns the council." Scarlett quipped.

"Deal." Alaric said holding out his hand and Scarlett shook in agreement and a few days later things got a little bit crazy and after she had finished a shift at work Alaric was waiting for her at the grill and he didn't exactly seem to happy. "We need to talk.

Scarlett left the grill with Alaric and the two of them walked to the square that was practically empty and so Scarlett looked around before she started to speak. Whatever this was about no doubt it was supernatural related. "What's up Ric?"

"I talked to Damon today and he killed me Scarlett, snapped my neck because I was pissing him off along with the fact he doesn't appreciate being told what to do anymore." Alaric began before going into a small rant about the big Caroline problem i.e. Carol Lockwood drugging her with vervain and calling Caroline's dad in to torture her then once the Sheriff and Tyler rescued her, Damon tried to compel Daddy Forbes to forget but Bill was immune to it and Damon wanted to kill where as Alaric didn't and then Damon killed Alaric.

"But your okay, right?" Scarlett questioned.

"Yeah thanks to my ring but having my neck snapped and being dead for a while isn't my idea of fun Scarlett!" Alaric seethed in anger.

"Chill out, I know dying must suck and I will talk to Damon and tell him that just because you have a magical ring that brings you back to life doesn't mean he can kill you when he loses his temper." Scarlett promised which seemed to soothe Alaric.

"We had a deal Scarlett, I talk to Damon and you'd tell me about the council and I kept my end of the deal now it's your turn." Alaric stated.

"Why do you want to know? I need to know why before I can tell you Rick. My family have been apart of the council since it was formed and if I'm going to tell you then I need to know why." Scarlett said.

"Since both Jenna and John died I've kind of taking care of Elena and Jeremy and the two of them are apart of the founding families which means one of them needs to be on the council and as I'm 'taking care' of them I want to do it." Alaric revealed and it caused wheels to turn into Scarlett's head, she had an idea now.

"Okay I'll roll over now… The Founding Families created the Founders Council a short time after the events of 1864. Officially the council are in charge of commemorating the foundation of the town. Unofficially, their true goal is to protect the town from the threat of vampires returning and that's it. They are practically clueless to other supernatural entities but the irony is the vampires that were killed in 1864 was spearheaded by a Lockwood, George Lockwood who had triggered his curse during the war and was responsible for most of the animal attacks back then." Scarlett began.

"History lesson over, what else do you know."

"Lesson isn't over yet Mr. Saltzman, you want to know about the council then you have to know everything. Now the founding fathers like my several great grandfather Giuseppe who was Stefan and Damon's father left their descendants journals containing information on how to fight vampires, such as the secret of the vervain. Johnathan Gilbert also left his compass to track vampires but it was separated into two parts: one held by the Gilbert's and one by the Lockwood's. The leader was the former Mayor Lockwood but after he was killed in the fire the current Mayor elected Damon as the head of the office after he infiltrated the council six weeks after he arrived back in town. Not the history lesson is over." Scarlett replied with small smirk.

"So what else do you know?" Alaric questioned.

"Alaric Saltzman, the only thing you need ever know is never to cross my path or do anything to piss me off. There is a reason why everyone in this town fears me and it's not just because of my temper, I see, hear and know everything that goes on in this town. I know every single dirty secret of this town starting from when the founding families settled here. But I also know the name of every member who has ever been on the council and who is now, although I said the founding families created the council but not everyone on the council comes from the founding families like the deputies who provided the muscle along with the Sheriff. I also know that meeting are generally held at the Lockwood Mansion but those are the secret one that are only held for the founding families. The other meetings are held at the founders hall."

"You do know everything don't you?" Alaric asked in amazement.

"I'm not just a pretty face whose a badass and related to vampires, I'm so much more than." Scarlett quipped. "Now let's go pay a visit to Carol Lockwood, the three of us have some talking to do."

Scarlett along Alaric made their way to the Lockwood Mansion where Carol was there along with Sheriff Forbes which actually a good thing as given that the Sheriff knew the dirty truth they could use her to her advantage. "Scarlett and Mr. Saltzman, what brings the two of you here?" Carol Lockwood asked.

"We're here to talk to the two of you about the Founders Council, the real one and not the one that's a front." Alaric stated.

"I don't know what you're talking about, the founders is not a front of any kind." Carol Lockwood began and Scarlett just sighed and when Alaric opened his mouth to say something she shook her head, to signal for him to be quiet as she was going to take care of this.

"Cut the doe eyed innocent bullshit with me Carol, I've always known the truth about the council and who do you think has been providing you with the vervain all this year? So you are going to listen to what we have to say." Scarlett bluntly said eying Carol Lockwood up daring her to deny the truth.

"Follow me then." Carol said as she walked into her office and Scarlett along with Sheriff Forbes and Alaric into the office and Scarlett popped herself down into an armchair.

"What did you want to talk to us about?" Sheriff Forbes.

"We want on the council and your going to agree with it that's what, so it's not exactly a talk per say as I'm telling you this and your going to do it." Scarlett idly said.

"Excuse me?" Carol Lockwood demanded.

"What Scarlett means to say is that we all know that vampire exist and that they are in this town and your not exactly doing the greatest job of keeping everyone in this town safe, you can't keep up with them and you barely know what's going out there to do anything about it." Alaric explained.

"What he said and I'm member of the founding families and I've lived here everyday of my life so you can't exactly tell me that I can't be involved with the council. So I'm going to be on the council from now and I'm not talking a no for an answer let alone asking your permission, I'm here and I'm not going anywhere so get used to it or not, what do I care?" Scarlett stated.

"We've heard Scarlett make it pretty clear why she's now on the council why you?" Sheriff Forbes asked.

"Because of the Gilberts." Alaric began.

"I understand where you're coming from, but..." Sheriff Forbes slowly said.

Alaric chose to interrupt the Sheriff before she could even finish her sentence let alone get her point across. "The Gilbert family is a founding family, and they deserve to have a voice on the council. I'm taking care of them, I should be that voice and I know I have the support of another founding family; The Salvatore's and in particular Scarlett."

"That's not the way it works, Mr. Saltzman." Carol replied.

Scarlett chose to snort at this bit of information, she had enough now and she was going to bring Carol Lockwood back down t reality and make her face some hard home truths. "Oh, really? Well, then tell me how it does because as long as I can remember he council's job is to protect the people of this town. Now I'm related to vampires, the Sheriff's daughter's a vampire and your son, your pride and joy who is a asshole and idiot just so happens to be werewolf need I say any more? Or do I have tell the entire town that their Mayor is a lying bitch along with the Sherriff? The two must powerful and trusted people in town…"

"So who's looking after the actual people? Some of them may be family or friends, but they are still supernatural. They don't follow our rules or our laws, they look after themselves, and that's what we need to do." Alaric questioned and when both the Sheriff and Carol Lockwood failed to answer it was clear that they were defeated. "We'll see you at the next meeting.

Scarlett watched as Alaric left before slowly rising out of her chair and she turned her attention to Carol Lockwood who looked absolutely stunned beyond compare. "Ain't life a bitch Carol? See you next time…"


	65. Chapter 65

_Big chapter, got a bit of everything and that's all i've got to say about it, enjoy xx_

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Scarlett worked quietly alongside Matt and Bonnie as they covered the swimming pool with toilet paper as a part of Senior Park Night, along time tradition for the newest senior class and Scarlett had been dragged into by Caroline but she attempted to use the fact that she allowed Caroline to use her house for Elena's party to get out of it and that Caroline didn't clean which meant she had to. But Caroline wouldn't give up and then when Matt got roped into it, he guilt tripped her into tagging along. So here she was covering a pool with toilet roll with her best friend and her not so favourite person in the world but Scarlett had been cutting Bonnie some major slack recently due to the fact that if it wasn't for her then wouldn't have found out that Klaus' blood was a cure for a werewolf bit.

"This is fun, right?" Bonnie said in an attempt to make conversation and Scarlett just rolled her eyes, she would have much preferred to be at home then here of all places given that she only went to school in order to eventually finish at the end of four years and get her diploma. The whole school spirit thing was not her thing.

"You sound like Caroline, when she's trying to convince me into something lame and stupid which she knows that I'll hate, like this." Scarlett noted darkly.

"Come on, I am embracing her philosophy. The two you should be more into this." Bonnie encouraging said and Scarlett just snorted, if she ever became like Caroline then she wanted someone to shoot her as happiness and optimism were so not her thing. Being miserable, sullen and sarcastic not to mention right was her thing as well having constant and ever changing mood swings and an explosive temper and none of that was going to change soon as Scarlett was sort of happy with the way she was.

"I know." Matt said with a reluctant sigh before shifting the conversation onto a new subject matter. "Where's Jeremy tonight?

Bonnie sighed briefly before looking around awkwardly. "I haven't talked to him all day. We're having, um... He, uh, he told me about seeing Vicki."

"Awkward conversation approaching at twelve o'clock." Scarlett quietly said under her breath given that she had found out via Matt when he was recovering after Elena's birthday that Jeremy could somehow see ghost i.e Vicki and given that she was Matt's sister it had piped his interest but the other interesting thing was that apparently that Jeremy had been seeing her along with vampire Anna since after Bonnie brought him back from the dead but he had only just told her.

"Ohh. Good, I'm glad that you know." Matt said with a hint of relief.

"I'm sorry. Is it weird talking about your sister like this?" Bonnie questioned whilst Scarlett chose to keep quiet as Vicki was kind of a sore subject for her and Matt as such they didn't talk about her much given that it was Damon who turned her and Stefan who killed her and Scarlett was related to the both of them so she just got on with covering more of the pool in toilet paper.

"No, I... I just kind of want to see her myself, you know? I mean, I never got to say good-bye to her. Matt sighed and paused for a few moments before continuing. "Do you realize that just last summer, you and I were lifeguards at the pool? And the only two problems I had in my life were that Elena was breaking up with me and I sucked at CPR."

"Everything was so different then." Bonnie stated.

"For all of us." Scarlett quietly noted as she shared a look with Bonnie before thinking back to last years and Zach was still alive and Stefan was still here but there was no Damon and Scarlett's life was good at best although the word good was rather stretching it. Her heart was fine for the most part and most of her times where spent working at the grill or hanging out at home. But things changed, people died and her world completely reinvented itself and as bad as things had been there was a little bit of good like she gained friends in Caroline and Matt.

"Yeah. Now Elena's dating a vampire, who Scarlett's related to along with another vampire, you're a witch, my sister's a ghost, and... I'm... I'm just a guy who's wondering how life got so screwed up." Matt said more to Bonnie than to Scarlett.

"It's crazy, Matt. I... I can't imagine what it must be like for you." Bonnie said as she placed a hand on Matt's shoulder.

"It just, uh, kind of explains why I'm not that into senior prank night. I'll go grab a couple more rolls. Then we'll hit the gym." Matt awkwardly stated before getting up and leaving the room and it just left Scarlett and Bonnie alone in the room.

"It's a lot harder for him then he's letting on." Scarlett finally said.

"What?"

Scarlett resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she was trying to have a serious conversation with Bonnie. "Matt. All of this is a lot harder for him then he's letting everyone believe or see it's ten times worse. This year hasn't been great for any of us but for Matt? Losing Vicki the way he did and not knowing the truth for months until a few months back was hard but being thrust into this supernatural hub we all know live in is hard for him especially since most of us have known about it for months beforehand. Then his best friend who is now a werewolf is dating his ex girlfriend whose now a vampire just makes things even more harder. He's pretty much alone and needs some support from his friends hence why I'm still living with him part time…"

"Scarlett…" Bonnie began.

"I moved in with Matt because I was falling apart and was so alone not to mention sick and Matt's been great, you know? Matt's always great with making sure I stay healthy, keep my hospital appointments and take my medication but it wasn't just him taking care of me, I'd cook him meals and we'd hang out and have fun together and Matt needs that. The idea of him being alone scares me and I don't want to be like that, I don't want Matt to be alone as he needs support from his friends to help him deal with this." Scarlett wearily said.

"You love him, don't you?"

"It's not what you think. It's difficult to explain because I don't love him the way I love my family, it's different than that but similar, it's hard to put into words that anyone will understand, however what I do know is that I love him as Matt means everything to me but I'm not in love with him, there's a difference." Scarlett noted with a small frown and before Bonnie could reply Matt returned and it was like the conversation between the two of them never happened.

After a few minutes the three of them left the pool and made their way to the gym where they were in for the shock of their lives when they walked into see Elena, Dana, Chad and Klaus of all people. "Bonnie, get out of here!" Elena immediately yelled.

Ah, I was wondering when you'd show up. Now we can get started. Ah, Dana, why don't you relax? You and Chad sit tight." Klaus said and moments later the two of them sat down. No doubt Klaus was compelling them.

"Well if it isn't the Big Bad Wolf, long time no see stranger it's been a while hasn't it?" Scarlett questioned.

"Right back at you Little Red Riding Hood." Klaus quipped as he motioned to Scarlett's red hood that she was wearing and Scarlett had to admit that it was kind of funny although she should have seen that one coming as given what she was wearing especially since she was the one who had made the first joke about the wolf.

"Funny."

"I thought it was too." Klaus replied before looking over at Bonnie. "I assume you're the reason Elena's still walking around alive?"

Bonnie nodded. "That's right. If you want to blame someone, blame me."

"Oh, there's no need for blame, love. Just your witchy interference seems to have caused some undesirable side effects. And since you caused the problem, I'm going to have you find the fix." Klaus vaguely explained and moments later a blonde girl walked in with Tyler and it wasn't too hard to venture she was vampire give that Tyler was struggling to get free even with that heightened strength of his.

"Get off of me!" Tyler whined.

"Hush now." Blonde vampire snapped.

"I'd like you all to meet my sister Rebekah. Word of warning... She can be quite mean although I have a suspicion that you and her would get on like a house on fire Scarlett." Klaus said causing Scarlett to roll her eyes given that Klaus was trying to set her up on a playmate with his sister.

"Don't be an ass." Rebekah snapped as she threw Tyler into Klaus' arms.

"Leave him alone!" Elena cried.

"I'm going to make this very simple... Every time I attempt to turn a werewolf into a vampire hybrid, they die during the transition. It's quite horrible, actually." Klaus said before proceeding to bite his wrist and force Tyler to drink his blood. "I need you to find a way to save my hybrids, Bonnie. And for Tyler's sake... You better hurry."

Before Scarlett could even ask Klaus what on earth he was talking about he did it before she could even ask as he then proceeded to snap Tyler's the neck and his body fell to the ground much to the shock of everyone including Scarlett but except Klaus and Rebekah.

"He killed him." Matt murmured

He's not dead. Klaus's blood will turn him into a vampire, or rather a hybrid if I'm correct about this entire thing which I believe I am as you can't turn a vampire into a werewolf as there is a gene for lycanthropy or rather curse as they call it. But you can turn a werewolf into a vampire take Klaus over here for example but there's something they need in order to survive otherwise they'll just die." Scarlett explained eyeing Klaus.

"As usual your right Scarlett and it's a shame most of the youth of today don't have your brains and yes Tyler will die if the little witch doesn't a figure out a way save him and if Bonnie's successful, he'll live through his transition. Go on, then. Go and fetch your grimoires and enchantments and what-not. I'll hold on to Elena... For safe-keeping. And I'd suggest taking Scarlett with you as you'll need someone with a brain to help you figure this out." Klaus advised and Bonnie along with Scarlett and Matt fled the gym and went out into the hallway.

"What are you going to do?" Matt questioned.

"I have no idea. The curse he's talking about is a thousand years old. My grimoires don't go back that far." Bonnie replied.

"Can you ask those dead witches that helped you before?"

Bonnie shook her head. "I don't have contact with them anymore... They cut me off when I brought Jeremy back to life. That's it! I can't contact the dead. Jeremy can."

The three of them decided to split up in order to look for Jeremy as he said he was going to tag along, Matt went off by himself and Scarlett went with Bonnie and they searched high and low for him even called him about a good dozen times but there was no answer. Scarlett had even called Damon sent him a good few messages but there was no response which is utterly frustrating. Now they were going to meet at his truck and swing by the Gilbert house to see if he was there or so Scarlett thought until Bonnie stopped in her tracks during a conversation with Matt. "No, Matt, I can't do that kind of magic anymore."

"What is it?" Scarlett demanded.

"Matt thinks Vicki is trying to contact him, so he wants to try and kill himself and have me bring him back from the dead using CPR so he can talk to ghosts!" Bonnie explained and not needing to be told twice Scarlett took off followed by Bonnie back to the pool and once they arrive Scarlett saw Matt at the bottom of the pool just floating there in an upright position as he was tied to something. Discarding her jumper and shoes Scarlett jumped into the water and swam down in order to remove the belt from Matt before proceeding to bring him up to the surface and over to the side of the pool where Bonnie pulled him out and began with CPR. Climbing out of the pool Scarlett dragged herself over to where Bonnie was unsuccessfully trying to revive him. Matt, please! I can't do this. There's nothing else I can do!"

"Donovan you had better stop playing around and wake the hell up now!" Scarlett screeched as Bonnie continued CPR and moments later Matt woke up and started coughing up water and Scarlett sighed with relief as Bonnie helped lift him up.

"It's ok. You're ok!" Bonnie cried and Scarlett just took a deep breath, she'd give herself an attack if she carried on like this but this wasn't the time to dwell on that.

"C'mon we've got work to do." Scarlett said as she got to her feet and slid her jacket and shoes back on and the three of them exited the pool but as they got into the hallway Scarlett couldn't help but turn to Matt. "As soon as you're feeling better, I'm going to kill you do know that right? Scaring the crap out of a person who has a bad heart, not cool Matt…

"It worked. I saw her, I saw Vicki." Matt said choosing to ignore Scarlett for the time being.

Bonnie gave him a sceptical look. "You did?

"She said she had a message for you."

"For me?"

Matt nodded. "From the witch that put the hybrid curse on Klaus. She said that Elena shouldn't have survived Klaus' ritual. The hybrids can't transition because Elena's still alive…"

"Which means Tyler's going to die, right?" Scarlett wearily questioned and despite the fact she hated Tyler it didn't mean she wanted to the guy to die especially since he was Matt's other best friend and Caroline's boyfriend.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that." A voice said from behind them and turning around Scarlett saw Klaus there leaning against the wall with a smug look on his face. "Given the choice, doppelganger or a hybrid, I go hybrid every time…"

That was it. That was all Klaus said before taking off and Scarlett wasn't exactly sure of anything what happened next as it was all in a daze and before she knew it she was back home at the boarding house and as she walked in there was Damon and Elena along with Stefan, which was odd. "What the hell is going on here?" Scarlett asked.

"What the hell happened to you? And why are you so wet?" Damon questioned.

"Well if you had answered any of my calls then you'd know that I ran into our old friend Klaus and then I went for a bit of swim but back to my question what's going on here and why is the lost son here?" Scarlett questioned pointing to Stefan.

"Klaus took off because I mentioned some vampire hunter guy called Mikael but he left Stefan here to be Elena's bodyguard hence the not so prodigal son's return to the family home." Damon said casually as if it was nothing.

"That's just bloody fantastic and it's the last thing I really need now but whatever I need to go shower and put these in the wash and then I'm going to bed. Try not to do anything else for the next twenty four hours as I fear I may actually have a heart attack or kill someone." Scarlett said before walking off and doing what she intend and the next morning after Damon had briefed her about the whole road trip with Katherine and Jeremy to wake the vampire hunter Mikael who according to Anna was going to hunt them all down, she was in need of quite alone time and the first day of school was prefect for that. Scarlett kept her head down extremely low given she really didn't need any additional stress in her life. That was until she found out that not only had Rebekah enrolled herself at the high but she had also decided to take up residency in her house.

"Oh Red, here you are! I see you've made our new roommate Barbie Klaus." Damon said but Scarlett chose to ignore him and instead made her way towards Rebekah.

"Listen Blondie She-Klaus, this is my house and we play by my rules here and I'll let you stay only the conditions that there is no killing or maiming in this house nor should any blood stained anything in this house otherwise I'll stab you with my big bad axe, is that clear?" Scarlett demanded.

"And why should I care? I can after all kill your right here right now."

"You could but you won't because I'm rather loved her despite my best attempts not to and your brother and I seem to be very pally these day and I doubt he'd be too pleased if you were to kill me. Not to mention I know a pretty powerful witch who almost killed Klaus and Elijah so don't be stupid Rebekah…" Scarlett warned.

"Klaus was right, I would like you. I accept your terms Scarlett Salvatore and I would point out that Stefan was the cause of the stain and not me." Rebekah said before making her way out of the room.

"Red, what the hell was that? I was expecting you to lose your temper!" Damon demanded moments after Rebekah had left the room.

"What stain?" Scarlett questioned moving things along, now that she was done with Rebekah it was time to focus on the bigger thing like the huge stain that was apparently one of her rugs.

"Forget the stain already and focus already! Klaus' sister is living in your house and your just fine with it? I don't think so given that you kicked up such a fuss when the deed was put into Elena's name that you moved out and didn't speak to us for weeks so you can't be okay with the fact that another vampire is living here given that you gave me pure crap when Rose was staying here."

"Firstly I'm not going to give myself a mini heart attack over the Original Blonde and secondly I plan to use my hospitality later on to my advantage hence me not getting all angry and pissed right now. There's the reason why I'm the brains of the family and you're just the muscle Uncle Damon, so relax and do whatever it is you do as I've got a bone to pick with Stefan." Scarlett said before proceeding to walk off and head upstairs to Stefan's bedroom and when she got there she found him reading a book. "You and me need to talk, bub."

"Is that so?" Stefan questioned in bemusement.

"Yeah it is, so sit up and listen." Scarlett said as she walked over to Stefan taking his book out of his hand and flinging the book over to the side. "You're on this little power trip lately because of your new found diet and now Klaus has compelled you turn off the 'switch' but that doesn't mean you don't have manners. My carpet downstairs, go clean it up NOW."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah I'm being serious as this is my house and you know how I feel about blood in the furniture so go clean it up before I go Buffy the vampire slayer on your ass because antique carpets are worth so much more to me than vampire relatives, so go now!" Scarlett snapped and Stefan just looked at her before getting up and walking at the room before sighing, the sooner this was all over. She knew there was a plan in plan to put him down for a while but after what happened with Andie she was taking a step back because her heart really couldn't deal with cold blooded ripper Stefan at the moment. So Scarlett left them to deal with things whilst she had an early night, she needed ten hours of peaceful and uninterrupted sleep although that was going to be hard living under the roof of three vampires who had sadistic tendencies. Although Scarlett did solve that by taking some of those weird and funky tasting natural sleeping tablets and putting ear plugs in her ears seemed to do the trick. Because she woke up the next morning feeling bright and refreshed although when she came into the library after she had breakfast she found quite a sight.

"What the hell happened in here?" Scarlett questioned looking at the blood soaked chair, the fire poker and the chains that were all on the floor.

"Long or short story?"

"Do you really have to ask?"

"Short it is." Damon said with a small shrug off his shoulders. "Well last night was a bust as Rebekah was still tailing Stefan and the plan just failed in general as Vicki Donovan's ghost magical appeared and tried to kill and Elena but only succeed in blowing up Ric's car."

"Ghost? Are you being serious? What did Vicki want?" Scarlett questioned in amazement that was a new one for her to hear and oddly fascinating.

"Red you live with vampires and are on good terms with a hybrid so why are you surprised that ghost exist? But back to the story Vicki wanted to come back and apparently to do that she had to kill Elena which was totally not okay so Bonnie sent her back to wherever it is she came from or so I thought but then something happened or rather this happened. I was attacked by Mason Lockwood's ghost all of last night and into this morning. Gave me a repeat of how I killed him with the chains and the fire hot poker, oh and I'm forgetting he took my ring off and almost burned me to death by exposing me to the sun… " Damon explained.

"Wow, that's intense." Scarlett said with a low whistle, seemed like Mason was really pissed about the whole being killed thing and who wouldn't be? Especially how Damon tortured him before ripping his heart out of his chest. If that happened to Scarlett she knew she'd definitely come back and haunt whoever killed her if she got the chance.

"You're telling me Red."

"Things were so much simpler when my dad was still around, I kind of miss those times as the only thing I really had to worry about then was what bedtime story I wanted that night…" Scarlett idly said.

"Red…" Damon began.

"No I'm not cleaning this up, you're the one who killed Mason in the first place so I'm not dealing with his revenge on you mess. That's all on you and it's kind of what you get in the first place because I told you to leave him alone but of course you never listen to me so I'm still not going to help me." Scarlett quipped with a bright fake smile before dropping it and rolling her eyes.

"Scarlett turn around." Damon slowly said and Scarlett just frowned, as Damon never called her by her first name, well he did when he first came back to Mystic Falls but then he came up with Red and after that he rarely ever called her Scarlett, to him she was just Red so something must seriously up if he was calling her by her first name. No doubt it was probably something bad like someone here to try and kill them and slowly Scarlett turned around and when she did she got the shock of her life and realized why Damon had been trying to get her attention. And it had been for a very good reason.

"Daddy?"


	66. Chapter 66

_So i left you on a bit of a cliffhanger and what a cliffhanger it was, with the surprising return of one Gabriel Salvatore a.k.a Scarlett's father, now here in this chapter there is going to be a very emotional reunion between father and daughter which is intense to say the least and it's also part one of the ghost town episode. i just wanted this one to be short and sweet but the next one will be even more so and have the drama you get in the VD plus there will be a very sweet and loving Damon and Scarlett, which everyone has become a sucker for and then next chapter will be ghost world part two and then go onto to the homecoming episode which will entail a Scarlett and Klaus scene plus a very interesting scene/conversations between Scarlett and Papa Original Mikael and the reappearance of her father will have some influence on her conversation with Mikael and the relationship between a parent and a child which should be funny given how Mikael and Scarlett's contrasting styles and opinions on parenting, i promise you it will be very interesting not to mention will probably make you laugh but until then, enjoy xx_

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"Daddy?"

Scarlett couldn't believe her eyes as standing there right in front of her was her father and it just shook her to the core at seeing him. Nine years he had been dead and yet he was standing here right in front her and smiling at her with a wide grin. He looked just the same as she could remember with dark hair, the same blue eyes she had and then the stubble on his face that would always scratch her face when he hugged her but dressed in favourite stripped jumper that Scarlett and Zach brought him for father's day the year before he died and a pair of jeans. He seemed shorter that she remembered but it hit her, she had gotten taller in the last nine years as when she was a girl she barely went past his waist. But then again a lot of time has passed.

"Hello Scarlett."

Hearing him say her name just set her off and Scarlett could feel the tears well up in her eyes and before she knew what she was doing she was running into her dad's arms and sobbing her heart out. All those times over the years she wished that she could have him back just to talk to him for a second had just come true. He was actually here. And she hugged him as if she never wanted to let go and truth be told she never wanted to. Her dad was here and she could actually see him, touch him and most importantly talk to him.

Eventually Gabriel pulled away but only to look at Scarlett and wipe away her tears. "Look at you my darling baby girl, all grown up and so much more beautiful then I could have ever possibly imagined. I missed you so much…"

"D-dad…" Scarlett uttered, she was still in so much shock to see her dad in front of her after all this time. It was unreal. A part of Scarlett still believed she was sleeping and if that were true, she never wanted to wake from this dream.

"I am so sorry Scarlett, if I had known what would have happened after I did what I did I would have never done it. I would never left if I knew about your heart and that you'd get pulled into all of this and you'd go through so much so young and be so dad. I would have never done it, I would have fought so much harder to carry on…" Gabriel began.

"I-it's really you, I c-can't believe it. I've missed you so much." Scarlett sniffled.

"I've missed you too sweetheart, there hasn't been a single day that I haven't missed you be it on your birthday or Christmas. But I've always been here, even when you haven't known it… I've been here watching over you

Scarlett tearily smiled at her dad and she hugged him once more before turning back to look at Damon who stood there with a bittersweet look on his face. "It's him Uncle Damon, it's my d-dad…"

"I see Red."

"Uncle Damon…" Gabriel began as he let go of Scarlett and walked slowly towards Damon.

"Gabriel." Damon replied in an equally polite manner only to squeeze his eyes shut moments later and turn his face to Gabriel as if he was expecting to be hit or something and when nothing happened Damon slowly opened his eye. "You're not going to hit me?"

"No I'm not. Whilst I am rather upset that you made several distasteful jokes about my death, killed my brother and drove my daughter to try kill herself, you've more than made up for it by taking care of my Scarlett and looking out for her and you will never know the depth of my gratitude Uncle Damon." Gabriel said as he shook Damon's hand much to his surprise.

"Well okay, well I'll leave you two to it and I'll just be off then…" Damon said making his way out of the library.

"Wait, don't you want me to come with you and help?" Scarlett questioned as she looked between her dad and Damon, for a moment she had forgotten about this whole Mason's ghost being back and given how vengeful he seemed, it was a good idea for Scarlett to go with him but at the same time she didn't want leave her dad. But if there was something going on…

"No… Stay here with your dad, I'll take care of this all don't worry." Damon stated seemingly reading Scarlett's mind and despite the emotional reunion going on between father an daughter, the two of them still shared a moment as Scarlett wasn't sure about what Damon was telling her but he just nodded at her. Telling her to trust him, so she did.

"You need to find Bonnie Bennett, only she can fix this." Gabriel warned and Damon nodded his head before leaving the library.

"What do you mean dad? I don't understand what is going on or how your even here…" Scarlett asked in a daze.

"When Bonnie cast that spell to push Vicki Donovan, a witch on the other side used it to her advantage and made ghosts like me with unfinished business corporeal which shouldn't have happened. I'm not supposed to be here Scarlett but I am. But it gives me a chance to be with here with you which I am grateful for because I have you missed you so much Sweetpea…" Gabriel said.

"Unfinished business?" Scarlett said, her mind wasn't working right now as she was struggling to understand anything that was going on at the moment. She was just in a proper daze about it all.

"You Scarlett. You were my unfinished business, I couldn't move on because I was so worried about you. I was selfish without a doubt, I left you my most precious possession in the world all because I was scared of Damon coming back because Stefan was here, I was tired of the secrets that we kept and I was raising you to follow in my footsteps. I just couldn't do it anymore and I–" Gabriel began.

"Killed yourself." Scarlett finished swallowing a large lump in her throat. "I missed you everyday, I didn't know what was going on… I had to deal with people pointing and whispering then we found out my heart and I needed you so much, I need my dad…"

"Scarlett…"

"How could you leave me? After mom left us… How could you leave me? You meant everything to me." Scarlett said as she quietly began crying again.

"I regretted it and I still do because where I am on the other side, it's empty and your all lone and I could as watch as you carried on without me. I had to watch you grow up and not be there and it almost killed me and it made me regret what I did. If I could I would have never done it Scarlett…"

Scarlett wiped away her tears. "Uncle Zach took good care of me as had Uncle Damon and Uncle Stefan before Klaus got to him. They aren't the first two people you'd think of to play happy families and they have no right to be raising me by themselves in particularly Damon and even though they have no clue what they are doing half the time but they try like hell and I love them for it even they screw up because they I know they will do anything for me."

"I know they have and all three of them have raised you wonderfully into a bright and tough young woman and I couldn't be anymore proud of you Scarlett, although the swearing could be less frequent and you could try not to wind up Carol Lockwood so much." Gabriel said and it caused Scarlett to tearily laugh.

"I'll try but it's not exactly easy and my life is kind of stressful." Scarlett said nodding slowly.

"That's all I can ever ask of you and I'm in awe of how you've dealt with everything that has come your way when you've just wanted to be normal and how determined you've been to keep your family together. I don't know how you did but it's admirable and I know I would have never been able to go through what you did and handle it all the way you have. You went through so much heartache and loss with Zach and I but you gained Stefan and Damon. And despite them being vampires I am happy that you are not alone Scarlett, because this is the one thing I never want for you and that is to be lonely." Gabriel said.

"Now Stefan is lost, Klaus compelled him to turn off his humanity and we have no idea what we can do as Klaus is always two steps ahead of us and it's so hard and I want to give up at times but it's Stefan and I have to remind myself he's not that monster that Klaus made him but we just don't know what to do."

Gabriel placed a kiss on Scarlett's forehead. "You'll figure this out Scarlett, you've always been so bright and clever, then like you told Damon you are the one with the brains in this family…"

"What's going to happen to you dad? If Damon is getting Bonnie to fix this what'll happen to you?" Scarlett shakily questioned.

"I don't really know, maybe I'll go back to where I was or onto somewhere else is like where Zach is. I'm not really sure Scarlett but we both know that I don't belong here not any more but until then something changes I'm just really want to spend sometime with you, being able to be here with you isn't something that I'm going to take for granted…"

"T-there's so many questions that I had in my head, things I wanted to ask you b-but it's all blank right now!" Scarlett said blinking away yet more tears, she hadn't cried so much in almost a year and she wasn't certain that her face must be red and her eyes resembled puffy little mushrooms.

"It's okay sweetheart, I think we have some time…"


	67. Chapter 67

_Okay this chapter was supposed to be part two of ghost world and the homecoming episode but i'm really tired and my back is killing me so it's only the second part of ghost world, the next chapter i promise will have all the stuff with Mikael, Rebekah and Klaus. To make up for it not being in this chapter i'll make it a super long chapter but now i just want to curl up bed but i thought you all reserved a new chapter today not to mention this story has been getting over a thousand views a day which i intend to keep it like that hence new chapter, enjoy xx  
_

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Scarlett sat on the couch in the living room and just stared at her dad, it was weird to have him here and sitting opposite her looking the same as he did nine years ago. Hadn't changed in the slightest, he looked just like the man that she remembered, the man who was believed marshmallows should be part of your five a day and that Disney land was the most over rated place in the word and would sometimes wake up her up in the middle of the night for a hug and to tell Scarlett he loved her. Not to mention the fact that he loved wearing odd socks but because he liked too. When he died Scarlett started doing the same, purposely picked up some of his odd habits in order to be close to him, like wearing odd socks. It was strange for Scarlett to be sitting here with him because she knew he was dead and had been for the last nine years but the feeling of being able to sit with her dad and have an actual conversation with him like any other normal teenager was something Scarlett wouldn't give up for the world. "... and that's about it really, i got the job on the spot and i've been at the grill ever since and i've been told i'm quite the waitress despite my horrible people skills." Scarlett said explaining to him why she had decided to get a job at the grill.

"Tell me more, i want to more about your life." Gabriel questioned.

"Don't you already know everything that's going on in my life since you've been 'watching' from the other side" Scarlett questioned, the whole thing of him being on the other side watching was a bit daunting but also reassuring in a way, it let her know that even though her father wasn't around anymore he was always with her in his own little way. They had been talking about anything and everything for the last few hours, whenever Scarlett thought her father was done with a subject he just brought up another one.

"How's school?"

"Fine, i suppose. I hate the place and the people but i get very good grades and i'm in the running for valedictorian which is okay i guess but i'm really only focused on the fact that in a few more months i'll be out of there for good so i guess that is the only really good thing about high school. The place has always been good for a distraction with all this supernatural goings on in my life but given that i hate the majority of people in this town, i'm always surrounded by people i don't like..."

"Plans for college?" Gabriel questioned with a small smirk in the corner of his mouth as he already knew the answer to his question as from an early age Scarlett knew that she was going to college and there was only one school that would be acceptable for her to attend.

"Georgetown, of course." Scarlett quipped with a bright smile as the Georgetown University had been both Zach's and her father's alma mater, it also happened to be the place where her parents had met so it had a lot of family history and ever since she was a kid Scarlett wanted to follow in her family's footsteps. She's have to apply very soon, thinking about that made her think of Zach and how he promised to help her with her admissions essay.

"I'm so proud of you."

Scarlett looked down at her moby dick sweatshirt that she had put on when she was giving her dad a tour of the house to show him how it changed, when he saw the sweater and got the back story about how Stefan gave it to her for her birthday because she kept his copy in her desk draw he insisted that she wore it and Scarlett obliged, happy to see her dad smile. "Can i ask you something dad?"

"Of course you can sweetheart, you don't have to ask you can just go right ahead. i always told you that you never ask if you could ask me something." Gabriel said and Scarlett quietly laughed, her dad was right as he would encourage her curiosity especially when she was asking him about something. When she was a kid Scarlett always asked him question about the past and her father put his degree in history to use, it was why she became such a history buff as she always wanted to be as smart as her dad one day. "You and mom, did you ever think of having more kids? i know it's an odd question but mom and her 'husband' were looking at adopting a few months back and it made me wonder. But asking her would just make things more awkward then they already are..."

"We talked about it, i really wanted you to have a sibling like i had Zach and your mom wanted you to have a sibling to but we figured we'd wait fro a while as we were just enjoying have you as the centre of our worlds." Gabriel revealed.

"Clearly things changed for mom..." Scarlett bluntly stated, although she was somewhat civil with her mother Scarlett could never forgive her mother for walking out of her life and never looking back once, not even when her dad killed himself.

"She didn't leave because of you Scarlett, you know that right? Mom left because she couldn't handle the family secret anymore and it's understandable. At first i was angry with her too but in the end it got too much for me as well and i killed myself. The two of us were weak but we both loved you very much and i know your mother still does." Gabriel said and Scarlett chose not to say anything to this. "Do you ever wonder what your life would be like if i were still alive or if mom had stayed?"

Scarlett was stunned, she hadn't been expecting her dad to ask her that and it was a question that she wasn't sure whether or not she wanted to answer or not and she was spared from answering when the door went. And Scarlett took that moment to avoid the question as it would cause her to bring up things that she had once wondered and forced herself to regret. Going over to the front door Scarlett opened it to see that it was Bonnie and Caroline. "Hey... What are you guys doing here?"

"We need to find Elena's necklace, apparently to send all the ghosts back we need to destroy the necklace to get rid of their physical foothold and Elena's says that Damon has it and hid it somewhere. But we can't exactly get through to him at the moment so we figured we'd come here and look for it." Caroline explained.

"Oh, okay come on in..." Scarlett said motioning for the two of them to come in and proceeding to shut the door behind them and the three of them walked into the living room where Scarlett's father stood up and smiled at them.

"Caroline and Bonnie, it's good to see you again..."

"Hi Mr. Salvatore..." Caroline began with wide eyes looking at Scarlett for an explanation.

"He's one of the ghost Care." Scarlett said and Caroline nodded in understanding and moments later the three girls all set about looking for the necklace with Gabriel following them and intently listening as Bonnie filled them in about everything that had gone on and what she needed to do in order to send the ghosts back.

"This must be really weird for you Mr. Salvatore." Bonnie awkwardly began.

"Not at all Bonnie, whilst i appreciate the opportunity to be back here with my loved ones, Scarlett and i know that i don't belong here anymore. So don't mind me at all, do what you must." Gabriel replied with a small smile and after searching the library and the kitchen they group decided to move upstairs and after searching most of the rooms upstairs they headed for Damon's room.

"We are never going to find this necklace!" Caroline stated as she turned Damon's bed over before turning over to Scarlett. "Are you sure Damon didn't tell you where it was? Or do you have any inkling as to where it could be?"

"Your guess is as good as mine Caroline, i didn't even know he had the necklace and Damon isn't exactly one for sharing and he keeps most people at arms length, he must have not told me for a reason, if he wanted me to know that he had it then Damon would have told me." Scarlett said as she carefully ransacked Damon's chest drawers.

"How can you be sure of that? This is Damon we're talking about, he's not exactly the most trustworthy person." Bonnie questioned.

"Because he's a Salvatore and we have a history of keeping each other's secrets not to mention Scarlett is Red and the two of them have a silent understanding. The one person Damon unconditionally trust is my daughter and i dare say that it's the same for her." Gabriel said taking the words out of Scarlett's mouth before she could even say them out loud.

"Ugh! I give up. It's not anywhere in this room." Caroline said as she walked out of Damon's bathroom and as she did Bonnie's phone started to ring and she looked at the caller id with a displeased look on her face so Caroline answered the phone for her. "What do you want, Jeremy?"

Jeremy's voice crackled due to the fact that he had been put on speakerphone. "Caroline? Did you find that necklace?"

"Not yet. Wait, what's going on?" Caroline asked referring to the fact that sirens could be heard in the background and in a town like Mystic Falls, sirens going off meant something bad had happened only question was how bad was it.

"Ghosts of the tomb vampires killed Tobias Fell. You might want to find that necklace before they start going alphabetically through the founding families." Jeremy said which caused Caroline and Scarlett to look at each other and then Scarlett wearily glanced at her father who stood there with a worried look on his face.

"Well, it's not where it's supposed to be. Unless someone took it..." Caroline hinted referring to Anna who had been caught making out with Jeremy by Elena earlier who told Caroline who quietly let it slip to Scarlett not long after she arrived which explained why Bonnie wasn't in the mood to speak to her.

"Who?

Scarlett along with Bonnie and Caroline all rolled their eyes at the same time, they all knew who Caroline was talking about and it was pretty apparent that Jeremy did but he was trying to pretend like he didn't. It was clearly Anna. "Well, who do you think?"

"She said she didn't take it." Jeremy stated and Scarlett just bit her lip, Baby Gilbert was just making things a whole lot worse for himself and she didn't want to be him when Bonnie finally got round to confronting him about it.

"Oh, and you believe her." Caroline scoffed.

"You know what, yeah, yeah, I do believe her."

"You know what, you're an even bigger idiot than I thought. So wake up, Jeremy, before you lose everything." Caroline retorted before ending the call and slamming the phone down on the chest of drawers. "God that guy is such an idiot!"

Minutes later Caroline and Bonnie left the house in order to look somewhere else and try and find a spell to locate the necklace whilst Scarlett promised that she'd keep looking it for it which she did as she straightened up Damon's room as he would freak out if he came home and his room still looked this way when he got home. "You seem so unfazed by all of this..." Gabriel mentioned.

"This is kind of everyday stuff to me, i grew up knowing about vampires and these last few months i've learnt about doppelgänger's, witches, curses, werewolves and hybrids so you learn not to be fazed by it not to mention i've got a bad heart dad so it's kind of in my best interest to stay calm and not overreact to thing." Scarlett said.

"If i had any choice in any of this i wouldn't have picked this life for you Scarlett, i would have let you be a normal little girl who had a normal childhood and knew nothing about the supernatural. Although i heard you tell your history teacher that you were glad to now, preferring to live in ignorance..."

"I know you would have." Scarlett replied with a small smile and she believed that, she knew that her father along with the rest of her family had no choice in keeping the secret about being related to vampires but they still kept it as they were Salvatore's and it was what they did,

"I'm so proud of you sweetheart." Gabriel said.

"You've told me."

"I know but I just want you to know that, you handle all of this with such ease and courage not to mention your strength and determination is so admirable because I know I wouldn't have been able to handle all of this the way you have been. I was a coward but you Scarlett are just amazing." Gabriel said and it caused Scarlett to smile. "You know you never did answer my question…"

"About what?"

"Do you ever wonder what your life would be like if i were still alive or if mom had stayed?" Gabriel questioned.

"I used to, when I would be having a really bad day and feel low. I still do as sometimes my imagination eases the pain of my reality and what it's really like. They say it's good to dream and I guess it is but I have to remind myself that my dreams are only dreams and then I remember my reality and then I remind myself to be strong." Scarlett admitted.

A sad smile appeared on Gabriel's face before being replaced with the bright grins that Scarlett had been so used to seeing when she was a child and she was surprised when he took a few steps forward, hugging her and whispering into her ear. "I love you Scarlett, always remember that sweetpea."

"Dad…" Scarlett began as her father let go of her and took a step back and then seconds later he just vanished. He was gone from her life once more and Scarlett's legs gave out and she just sank to the floor. And she remained there for god knows how long and then Damon walked into his room and found her there.

"Red?"

"H-he's gone, Bonnie did it, the ghosts are all gone… H-he's gone…" Scarlett said linking repeatedly in order to stop herself from crying but it clearly wasn't working as she felt the tears sting the corner of her eyes. Then she was further pushed over the edge when Damon sat down next to her and put an arm round her shoulder.

"Always got me."

"Are you trying to make me feel worse?" Scarlett tearily questioned with a scoff although it came out as more of a laugh as she leant her head against his shoulder.

"Crybaby."

"Moron…"


	68. Chapter 68

_So a rather long chapter which has the three originals in it, there are some fan favourite Scarlett and Damon moments and quite a bit of Scarlett and Klaus screentime because the two of them are kind of friends in a weird way because they get each other in a way but not like how Scarlett and Damon get each other. They admire aspects of each other and they bond over that so they will kind of become friends as the story goes on, but you'll see for yourself so enjoy as this took me over five hours to write or so as i took a break to watch some tv but i'm rambling now, so go read and prosper or along the lines of that as now that i'm done with this i'm going to tesco's to get food as i haven't eaten all day xx  
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"So let's run through this one more time as I'm still trying to get my head around this based on what you found in this cave and what Rebekah told Elena, Mama Original was a witch and the person responsible for creating vampires after one of her sons was killed by werewolf so she turned the rest of her family into the most powerful creatures of the night that and the vampire hunter Mikael who knows how to kill Klaus is actually an original who feeds of vampires instead of humans is Papa Original and the father of Klaus, Elijah, Rebekah and all the other originals and the man who caused the feud between werewolves and vampires? And apparently Barbie Klaus thinks Papa killed Mama but turns out it was little boy Klaus…"

"Yep you got it." Damon replied.

"And Stefan has lured Klaus back here to town so Mikael can kill him." Scarlett questioned as she laid fully clothes in the empty bath of Damon's bathroom reading a book. as given after the whole her dad coming back as ghost before finally moving on she had been a bit shaken up by the whole ordeal and had taken a bit of a step back for a few days and stayed with Matt in order to get her head together. But now she was back and in time for the homecoming dance, much to her dismay. "Have you noticed the similarities between them and us? Uncle Stefan killed your dad and Klaus killed his mother. You've killed several of your relatives, Klaus has done the same to his own then you and Stefan have tried repeatedly to kill each other and now Mikael wants to kill Klaus."

"…You have a point but we are so much more awesome than that crazy ass family so I wouldn't worry about it Red." Damon said offhandedly.

"Have to be honest I'm not exactly feeling too great about whole thing…"

"Don't worry Red, we've got this..." Damon commented as he started mixing a batch of Wolfsbane in his sink to make grenades making a subtle reference to the secret back up plan they had in case things and most likely did fail. Given that they had to trust Rebekah somewhat on this not to mention Mikael plus there was still Stefan and his little compulsion problem and then there was Klaus.

"I'll trust that when Klaus is dead, but if you'll excuse me I'm going downstairs to grab a bite to eat." Scarlett quipped climbing out of the bath and taking her book downstairs as she made her way towards the kitchen but as she did Scarlett heard raised voice coming from the library and when she made her way into the library Rebekah stormed right past her and there stood the lone Papa Original. "You know your kids have been making my life pretty hell, Elijah wasn't too bad but then Klaus is all over the place and your daughter is living in my house…"

"Well if everything goes to according to plan your life should become much more easier, Klaus will be dead and Rebekah will most likely leave Mystic Falls." Mikael said.

"I really don't get you Mikael you had your wife turn yourself and your children into vampires and I can kind of see why you did that. You loved your children so much that you'd do anything to protect then and even though I'm not a parent I understand the unconditional bond between parent and a child. But what the hell happened during that time that you're willing to kill your own son."

"Niklaus is not my son biologically, he's my stepson." Mikael stated.

"Bullshit. Klaus is your son regardless whether he is yours biologically; as you raised him and cared for him enough to turn him into a vampire. That's more than enough for me to say that he is your son and you are his father and your avoiding my question." Scarlett pointed out.

"At the time my only concern was saving my family that ignored all the warnings about the consequences of making us into vampires. It was never my intention for innocent people to fall pray to the creatures I help created. Niklaus is the most volatile and dangerous of all my children and creatures like him both werewolf and vampire should not be allowed to exist. By killing him I'll be doing a favor for the greater good." Mikael explained. "Why do you care about whether Niklaus lives or dies?"

"Look I have no problem with him being killed because your right the guy is unstable in more ways than one and I'll admit that Klaus is a major pain in the ass and he's done some pretty bad thing in his time especially when it comes to my family. I'm not exactly an advocate of not killing vampires but I even I have a bit of a problem with him being killed by his own father. That's kind of harsh." Scarlett said.

"If the rules were reversed and it was Stefan and Damon who were the out of control hybrids threatening the lives of others are you telling me that you wouldn't do the same?"

"If I rationalize it in my head and think of the harm and destruction that they were causing I'd think I could do it and the thought has crossed my mind and I have threatened them with it a few times as I am fully able to kill a vampire. But when it came down to it, there is no way I'd be able to do it because they are my family. They have driven me to suicide, having a bad heart and I want rip my hair out half the time when I'm around them but they are my family. And I just couldn't do it…" Scarlett revealed.

"Ahh that's so sweet." Stefan said as he entered the room and Scarlett just rolled her eyes as Stefan made his was over to her.

"Enjoy this for now Uncle Stefan because you're not going to be able to get with saying stuff like that when that compulsion finally wares off." Scarlett said gently slapping Stefan's cheek before leaving the library and heading back upstairs to her room and when she did Scarlett walked past the dress that she was wearing for homecoming and settled back into reading her book. She was starting to get severely outnumbered by the supernatural beings in her house as of late and she wasn't exactly happy about this. As she sat reading her obscenely long boring book that was in french Scarlett let herself get distracted and taking away from the ongoing and numerous dilemmas that were going on until there was a knock on her door and Scarlett saw Rebekah. A sure sign that she had spoken too soon. "I'm surprised you knocked, usually you just barge in…"

"Very funny Salvatore."

"What do you want Rebekah? I'm a little busy here…" Scarlett said waiving her book around.

"Voltaire in french, really?" Rebekah skeptically question.

"I'm a person with impeccable taste and class Rebekah when I'm not dealing with the supernatural so yes I am really reading Voltaire in french. But I don't think you came all this way to criticize my taste in reading material so what do you want and don't make me ask you again?"

"I need your help."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me Salvatore." Rebekah sourly stated.

"I know I just want you to say it again, you won't believe how much joy it brings me to hear you of all people asking for my help." Scarlett quipped flashing Rebekah her biggest and brightest smile, which caused the original to squirm uncomfortably.

"I now know why my brother seems to fond of you, the two of you share that same weird sense of humour." Rebekah said.

"Difference is people can't help but like me whereas Klaus leaves a lot to be desired now what do you need my help with?" Scarlett questioned but Rebekah wasn't listening instead she was looking at the strapless plum colored silk and chiffon knee length dress that was hanging at the back of Scarlett's door.

"This is the dress you're wearing to homecoming?" Rebekah questioned and Scarlett nodded waiting for the insult. "It's lovely…"

"So is yours, what do you need my help with Rebekah?" Scarlett questioned moving things along ever so slightly because she still had a couple of things to do before she started getting ready for the dance.

"I'll show you." Rebekah said leaving the room and Scarlett reluctantly got off her bed and followed Barbie Klaus back to Stefan's room where there were several pairs of heels by the bed and Scarlett just looked at Rebekah for an explanation. "I don't know what shoes to pick or whether I should have my hair up or done, I've never got to do any of this with my mother so I have no experience…"

"My mother never taught me about this stuff, she walked out when I was a toddler and ever since men who have no right to be raising little girls have been raising me which explains my rather ballsy and blunt attitude. I'd go with the red pumps as they match your dress and I'd keep your hair up but why ask my opinion?" Scarlett questioned as she jumped on Stefan's bed.

"Your honest, you say whatever is your mind regardless of what others may think. I like that." Rebekah admitted.

"So do I but apparently not everyone else does, the amount of people I've pissed of and trouble I've gotten into because I've said something I've shouldn't is astronomical." Scarlett idly said as Elena chose to walk into the room. "And talking about pissed off, if you so much as do anything to Matt then you won't be running from Mikael anymore Rebekah you'll be running from me…"

"Getting a headstart, huh?" She questioned.

"Embarrassing truth? This is my first high school dance." Rebekah replied in a rather weary tone of voice.

"Ever?

Rebekah nodded her head and Scarlett felt a twinge of sympathy for the girl although it was soon replaced with a craving for a pop tart. "I never really had time for high school before. Nik and I were always moving around, running. Anyway I didn't want to leave anything to chance. Have you heard anymore from him?"

"No. But I'm sure that when he does return he'll do it with flair, if there's one thing you've got to admire about Klaus he's one for the dramatic theatrics! So when he does eventually show up we'll all know about it." Scarlett said with an amused scoff, she was willing to admit that it was of the things she found very amusing about Klaus in a very weird and disturbing way.

"And Damon and my father are all set with their plan?" Rebekah questioned and Scarlett chose this time to resume reading her book because this conversation was starting to bore her and even Voltaire in french was much more interesting. Scarlett just wanted to get to the dance and get this entire thing over and done with and so she read her book in idle bliss until she heard a gasp and watched as Rebekah took on this sickly grey colour before falling to the floor because there was a dagger sticking out of the back of her chest and there was Elena standing over her body. "Damn that was ruthless…"

"Scarlett…" Elena began.

"Yo Uncle Damon, your needed up here!" Scarlett bellowed at the top of her voice and a few minutes later Damon strolled into the house and was surprised at the scene in front of him. "Don't look at me, it was all her and now I'm going to go jump in the shower, I'll leave you to deal with this."

Twenty five minutes later Scarlett fresh and dry from the shower sat in the kitchen eating a couple pop tarts with a glass milk watched as Damon strolled into the kitchen cradling a glass of scotch. "So Rebekah's in the basement and we're proceeding with plan b Red and may I remind you that Stefan isn't to be aware of either." Damon informed her.

"I don't need reminding and like plan a was ever going to work Klaus would have never come here to make sure that Mikael was dead, it would have set alarm bells off in his head because it just screams trap to me and whilst Klaus isn't a genius like me he certainly isn't stupid. We know he's not going to be alone, so Katherine is going to take the place of Elena and we're going to keep Stefan preoccupied and when the moment is right Mikael will sneak up kill Klaus and all our problems will be seeming be over." Scarlett stated.

"Here's hoping." Damon said holding up his glass and Scarlett lifted her glass of milk and the two of them clinked their glasses together before taking sips of their individual drinks.

"We have to be prepared in case something goes wrong because knowing our luck something will…" Scarlett began.

"Don't worry Red, Rebekah is out of the way now and once we have Stefan out of the way things will go so much smoothly but we do need to keep an eye out on Papa Original. You've seen how his kids are, no doubt they learnt from daddy dearest so we'll have to watch our backs." Damon said as he picked up one of Scarlett's pop tarts and began to eat it.

"I hope so." Scarlett murmured as she continued to eat and the two of them sat in the kitchen quietly eating until Scarlett had finished and decided to go upstairs and go get ready for this dance and whilst she did Scarlett received a phone call from Caroline who was freaking out about the gym being flooded and how homecoming was being moved to the Lockwood mansion and how much it was going to suck now. Although she shouldn't have Scarlett laughed and was slightly pleased at this prospect however an hour later when she got to the Lockwood Mansion Scarlett saw that it wasn't lame, god knows how there was at least a hundred people, plenty of booze not to mention a live band.

"Red Riding, good to see you." Klaus began with a smile as he made his way over to Scarlett and she couldn't help but roll her eyes, first it was Damon calling her Red and now Klaus had taken to calling her Red Riding. "No red tonight? Shame really as the colour suits you beautifully, not that you don't look beautiful tonight. "

"You scrub up nicely yourself Wolf." Scarlett replied.

"Drink?" Klaus offered holding out his beer to Scarlett.

Scarlett shook her head. "No thank you I don't drink but thank you for offering and before you say anything about how interesting it is for me to be teenager who doesn't drink I'll tell you know that it's a lifestyle choice, surely you of all people would understand that. Given how you chose to live your life."

"Ahh yes because of your heart, terrible thing to have at such a young age..." Klaus noted with a small nod.

"How'd you know about that?"

Klaus tapped one of his ears. "Can hear it sweetheart and how it beats faster it really should, picked that up the first time we met. A girl with a bad heart who has an infamous temper, I got a couple of chuckles out of that."

"Nice to know you get your kicks somewhere." Scarlett dryly stated.

"What are you up to?" Klaus questioned.

"I'm up to nothing, I'm just a teenager girl at homecoming. It's that simple." Scarlett quipped idly looking around.

"Somehow you don't strike me as the homecoming type, no offense."

"Funny when people say no offense to me, I still manage to take offense and you just so happen to be right. I'm not into high school dances or really anything that requires this much effort on my part but it's kind of hard to say no to Caroline Forbes and when you try she starts with the guilt tripping, so it's easier to just go alone." Scarlett half lied with a sigh because most of what she was saying was the truth, she just chose to leave out the bit about his father on his way to kill him.

"So no date tonight?"

"I don't do dates, kind of a lone wolf if you get my drift and pardon the pun whilst you're at it." Scarlett offhandedly said which caused Klaus to laugh.

"Well that's a shame but thank you for coming, I decided that since the gym had been flooded and everyone was all dressed up I decided to throw another party although not a homecoming dance but a wake for my dearly departed father which I hear is in part thanks to you and your family." Klaus said with a self assured smirk on his face.

"Hmm… must admit this bar far the most interesting wake I've been to for someone's father." Scarlett noted as she looked around the party that was taking place outside in the back yard, people seemed to be having a good time although she doubted they knew the true reason for this party.

"Speaking from experience?" Klaus questioned.

"Perhaps."

"Your father's death?"

Scarlett pursed her lips together for a moment, she wasn't that surprised that Klaus knew all about her given that he did possessed Alaric to get information on them all but what did surprise her was that he was using their 'dead' fathers to bond. Boy was he going to be in for a rude awakening later. "Goodbye Niklaus…"

"As always it's a pleasure talking with you Scarlett." Klaus said as Scarlett walked away from him, she needed to find someone else because it was obvious that Klaus kind of knew that something was going or suspected at least but then again the guy was always paranoid. Just in case Scarlett decided not to seek out Damon or Katherine just to be safe. She didn't want to risk the plan failing because it was their only plan and god knows what would happen if they failed and Scarlett didn't want to dwell on that much just to be safe.

Walking around the Lockwood Mansion for a while Scarlett was disturbed when a bunch of people started moving everyone one who was inside outside and Scarlett could tell that something was going on so she slid off to the side and snuck back making sure to avoid any of the people walking around no doubt some of Klaus' hybrids. And then from where she stood Scarlett saw Mikael arrive and pull Katherine who was disguised as Elena.

Scarlett watched as Klaus interacted with his father and at first Klaus had his usual arrogant bravado but then Mikael starting tearing into Klaus and undermining him. It was odd for her watch as she had grown up in an environment where her father was encouraging and nothing but affectionate to her. Seeing Mikael undermine and bully Klaus was odd, she argued with Damon and Stefan, they each called out other names and pressed each others buttons but Scarlett always knew that they didn't mean it. At the time maybe as they got caught up in the moment but as bad as things could get, they never intentionally meant to hurt each other.

Scarlett knew things were going back when she noticed a subtle change in Klaus' tone of voice especially when Mikael told his own son that no one cared about him. Scarlett listened as Mikael played on the insecurities that she never knew Klaus had. She was so caught up in that she failed to notice when things started spiralling out of control like Katherine being stabbed but then raising again to Mikael's surprise and Damon appearing out of nowhere and stabbing Klaus.

"Katherine..." Mikael murmured as Katherine rose up revealing that she wasn't Elena and then proceeding to chuck Wolfsbane grenades at Klaus' hybrids who had all congregated on the front lawn on the Lockwood Mansion.

"Ba-Boom!"

Scarlett walked out into the open and it seemed as if it was just in time as Stefan sprung out of nowhere, lunging at Damon and dragging him off Klaus which gave the big bad hybrid a chance to strike and Scarlett just watched in amazement as Klaus picked up the discarded dagger and went for Mikael and killed him.

"What the hell did you do?" Damon demands as Stefan continues to hold him down and despite the craziness that's gone on tonight and Scarlett hurried over to them and attempted to pull Stefan off Damon, she be damned if she let Stefan finally managed to kill Damon but with one swing of her arm she got sent flying back two or three yards and managing to end up with a bloody nose because of the impact of Stefan's arm with her.

"He's earned his freedom." Klaus announces much to all everyone's shock and Stefan slowly got off Damon and made his way over to Klaus. "Thank you my friend. You no longer have to do as I say. You're free."

"I-I…" Scarlett began in shock as she watched Klaus release Stefan from his compulsion and due to the fact she was so shocked at this that she failed to see that Damon had taken off until it was too late and then her eyes Stefan's.

"Scarlett…" Stefan began taking a few steps towards her and something in Scarlett just snapped and she started freaking out. He may have been free and no longer the ripper but she actually now felt scared of Stefan now. He had actually just hit her and it was something that Scarlett couldn't process right now.

"N-No don't come anywhere near me." Scarlett stammered as she slid back as she didn't want to be anywhere near Stefan at the moment, not until she got her head together and figured everything out even then she'd have to have Damon with her. Sighing Stefan looked at Scarlett before walking out the front door of the Lockwood mansion and once he was gone she took a sigh of relief. She really could do with a drink.

Looking around Scarlett saw that it was just her and Klaus and he looked back at her before bending down and picking up her purse which she had dropped and then made his way over to her and held out his hand for her to take. "Here…"

"Thank you…" Scarlett said as she took Klaus and allowed him to help her up and hand back her purse.

"You've got a bloody nose Scarlett." Klaus quietly said and Scarlett sighed before fishing into her purse for a tissue and starting to dab at her nose.

"The guy was an ass. No father should be like that, you deserved better Niklaus." Scarlett quietly said, despite the fact that they were technically enemies who got on rather well with each other so they were 'frenemies' – Scarlett felt for Klaus after witnessing how Mikael tore into him and so she decided to tell him what Mikael did was wrong and Klaus gave her an odd stare before quietly laughing, she had no idea what the two of them were doing but she knew that Klaus wasn't going to hurt her, if he wanted to he would have done it already or got Stefan to do it.

"It's a good thing that I killed him then as dad's are kind of overrated at least my one was, I don't know about yours..." Klaus wearily said but Scarlett saw that lost look in Klaus' eyes again.

"Kind of the worst person to ask I haven't had a father for over nine years now but it gives us something else in common now; dead fathers. You killed yours and my father killed himself… Not the same thing but I think I understand how you're feeling in a way. You love someone so much but then you hate at the same time and it just consumes you with every fiber of your being. I loved my dad so much but I hated him for being so selfish and leaving me when I needed him."

Klaus wearily laughed and scoff at the same time. "Yeah…"

"I should probably go get home, this wake has gotten a bit too exiting for me and if I stay any longer I may just have a heart attack and that wouldn't be good." Scarlett said and it caused the two of them laugh.

"Goodnight Red Riding…"

"Goodnight Mr. Wolf."


	69. Chapter 69

_A rather long chapter and just before midnight! So i'm really looking forward to the next chapter because it will involve Scarlett and Damon undaggering Elijah and after that she'll come face to face with Stefan for the first time since homecoming and it'll be another long chapter as i plan to bringing out the dead in that chapter especially the dinner party that takes place in the Mikaelson mansion. Scarlett, Damon, Stefan, Klaus and Elijah all round the table having dinner? That'll be intresting. I want it to be in that chapter because the big ball is going to be in the chapter after the next one and you know what that means Scarlett and Kol will meet for the first time which is all very exciting and there will be some nice lovely moments but it'll all turn sour very quickly because of something that Kol does, however Scarlett does leave quite an impression on Kol and someone will pick up on their 'attraction' to each other but that's coming later but hold on until then because it will be worth it! i will make it the best chapter yet and i will try to give back everything you've given me in terms of reviews in that chapter xx  
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Scarlett's bare feet pattered quietly on the wooden flooring of the boarding house as she headed out of the kitchen and made her way towards the library carrying a glass of water and a small bowl or red grapes. She needed to take her medication and she had left them in the library last night when she was playing the piano before she went to bed hence her heading back to the library in order to get them. But Scarlett got the surprise of her life when she walked into the library to see Damon pouring two drinks but that wasn't the thing that surprised her as Damon drinking so early in the day was a regular occurrence, it was who he handed the other drink to which surprised her; it was her old friend Klaus who they had unsuccessfully tried to kill over a week ago at homecoming.

"Ah, hello Scarlett." Klaus began.

"Hey Niklaus…" Scarlett wearily said, she was pretty certain that she was still upstairs in her bed sleeping because there was no other way that Klaus was here in her house. The only possible explanation to this was that she was still sleeping because there was nothing else that could or would possibly explain why Damon was handing Klaus of all people a drink of her scotch.

"Nice shiner you have there, I'm assuming that's Stefan's work?" Klaus said pointing to Scarlett's eye more specifically the rather colorful black eye she had and a dark look crossed Damon's face as Klaus mentioned Scarlett's face, when she had come home from the failed attempt to kill Klaus at homecoming looking like she did with a bloody nose and a black eye forming he had hit the roof, to put it lightly. The only other time she had seen Damon that mad was when her and Stefan had been kidnapped and tortured by the tomb vampires. But even then it didn't exactly compare. When Damon took off from the Lockwood Mansion he only knew that Stefan had pushed Scarlett away, he didn't realize until she got home that when she was pushed Stefan's hand connected with her face hence the damage to her face,

Scarlett nodded. "Yeah, I got off quite lucky considering… If any more force had been applied I would have been looking at a broken nose or eye socket. So a bruise and a black eye is nothing, I've had worse. So am I missing something here? I came to get my medication and I stumble across this, you care to enlighten me?" Scarlett asked very much aware that she was indeed still in her pajamas, which consisted of a black tank top and dark green plaid pajama pants. If Scarlett could be embarrassed she would be at this particular moment but she was at her home and just got up from a nap.

"Klaus is looking for Stefan and I've told him he hasn't shown his face since the little homecoming incident and for good reason." Damon said gritting his teeth as he handed the big bag hybrid his drink.

"But I figured it was time that we had a talk and your more than welcome to join us Scarlett, in fact I insist." Klaus said.

"Oh, okay…" With a slight frown Scarlett walked further into the library and placed her water and bowl of grapes by the drinks table and Damon grabbed her medication and chucked it to her and so she took a couple of pills and swallowed it with water before proceeding to sit down on the couch with her grapes.

"Cheers mate!" Klaus said clinking glasses with Damon.

"Down the hatch."

"You know, we've actually got a lot in common you and I, it's not just your delightful niece who I share common interests in but at the moment it's Stefan. Your baby brother has been getting himself into quite a lot of trouble lately and I'm not just talking about the damage he's inflicted on the little's face." Klaus idly commented before turning to Scarlett. "I would say no offense sweetheart but I know you'll be offended any way…"

"Really? You know me so well" Scarlett sarcastically stated although they both knew that it was true as Scarlett had told this to Klaus herself. But he had brought up Stefan and he was a sore subject at the moment so having him brought up put her into a very crabby mood and it was a good thing Scarlett had food on her at the moment. It was something to distract her from all her problems.

"Maybe we can bond over our mutual loathing of my brother. Why are you so mad at him? He stole something?" Damon questioned in an equally sarcastic manner and tone of voice that matched the one that Scarlett used exactly. The grape that Scarlett had just put in her mouth got stuck as she realized this and started to laugh and Damon had to pat her on the back before she could finally swallow the grape.

"My family, the Originals. I had them daggered, boxed-up awaiting the day when I saw fit to wake them. And he went in and pinched the bloody lot." Klaus stated and he sounded far from happy about this and given that this was Klaus and he believed in the Old Testament thing of an eye for an eye. The guy was big on revenge and whatever he was going to was no doubt going to be bad and messy to say the least. Thank goodness Stefan wasn't here otherwise Scarlett would have killed him before Klaus got the chance to do anything.

Damon laughed as he made his way over to the window. "Of course he did. Such a buzz kill, my baby bro. Well, I'd love to find him. Just the trouble is, I sure as hell don't work for you.

"You know, your drink stinks of vervain- so I can't compel you. There be no point in killing you because you're actually the one with the most help of getting me what I need. And yet it would seem a demonstration is in order. Perhaps I wasn't clear enough when I told you to find Stefan. Well, it seems you people respond best to displays of violence. Why don't you take this as an example of my reach." Klaus began and Scarlett and Damon both looked at each other as Klaus took out his phone and called someone. "There he is! So, that thing I told you to do- why don't you go ahead and get on with it?"

"What did you do?" Scarlett questioned.

"You'll see, thanks for the drink…" Klaus replied with a smirk as he downed his drink before making his way out of the house leaving Scarlett and Damon to wait and see what Klaus meant by that.

Scarlett was right about Klaus getting payback and he did big time, he had Tyler his new hybrid slave who was sired to him to bond with Jeremy get him off vervain then took of his ring and step out in front of a moving car. Jeremy wasn't hurt but Alaric was and it just got worse from there, it was different from all the other times when he was killed because when Alaric woke up he started coughing up blood despite the fact he was killed by one Klaus' hybrids so he should have been fine. Damon went to go deal with all whilst Scarlett went to crash with Matt, he didn't want her anywhere near Stefan at the moment.

"… I still can't believe Stefan did that to you." Matt said as he and Scarlett sat down on the couch eating ice cream together.

"Yeah well I can as it bloody hurts and Stefan has lost his damn fricking mind, I literally have no idea what is going on in that head of his. He's free of Klaus' compulsion and yet he runs off steals his family, which pissed off the hybrid with the volatile temper and specializes in revenge. Jeremy was target because of that and Alaric died and was seriously hurt because of it. I've just had enough of him now, first it's coming back to town and then falling on and off the wagon and now this. I just want him gone now…" Scarlett said with a sigh.

"Scarlett…"

"I will never forgive him for this Matt."

"How are you dealing with all of this? The last couple of weeks haven't exactly been easy for you, with looking for Stefan and the fall out from that then your dad coming back as a ghost and now this. Seriously, how do you get up in the morning."

"Put one foot in front of the other and pray for the best."

"What do you think will happen?" Matt questioned and Scarlett took a deep breath and paused to think about her answer before speaking.

"I'm guessing that if Stefan doesn't return Klaus' coffins then things are going to get very bad as I don't have to be a mind reader to know that Klaus will not stop at anything to get the rest of his family back and make Stefan pay for what he did. And Klaus isn't exactly subtle when he goes about things and he'll do anything to get Stefan to give back what he took, we should all be worried…" Scarlett wearily said.

"Are you?"

"Pretty much."

And Scarlett had a right to be scared but a phone call from Damon gave her reason to be even more scared as he told her that Stefan was hiding the coffins in the abandoned witches house which had become a new hangout and that the hundred dead witches were helping him to hid the coffins out of sight if Klaus should ever come looking there. There was also the announcement that he under Elena and Ric's orders compelled Jeremy to leave town and go stay with some family friends in Denver as to get out of the path of Hurricane Klaus. So all that was happening but the next morning Scarlett chose to ignore it as it was Caroline's birthday tomorrow and her along, with Matt. Elena and Bonnie had a big birthday bonanza planned as Caroline had it rough the last year or so. But the birthday girl ignored everything so they came up with a plan b.

"SURPRISE!" All four of them yelled when Caroline walked through her front door, Matt had managed to get a key from Sheriff Forbes so they could surprise Caroline and it was worth it as the birthday girl looked shocked. "Happy birthday!"

"What are you guys doing here?

Elena laughed. "Well you blew off school and missed our work of birthday art, so...

"Change into warmer clothes, we are going to the falls. Smores, camp fire. Cake, like when we were little. " Bonnie said continuing from where Elena had left off.

"Except for the tequila!" Matt added as he held out a bottle of tequila which Scarlett had swiped from the boarding house as she wasn't going to drink and Damon sure as hell wasn't going to miss so why not use it with people who would put it to good use to celebrate Caroline's birthday. It all made sense to Scarlett.

"Thanks, guys. Really, I'm just not feeling my birthday this year. " Caroline weakly said which caused Scarlett to share a confused look with Matt.

"I'm sorry, what? You've already claimed your birthday as everyone's favourite day of the year. " Bonnie replied.

"Yeah, and now, it's just a reminder that technically, I'm dead. Look, I'm didn't even like 17. And the only point to 17 is to get to 18, it's a filler year, I'm stuck in a filler year." Caroline sadly said and Scarlett just bit her lip she had forgotten about that, well not that Caroline was a vampire but the whole birthday aspect of the never dying especially for someone who hadn't been a vampire for long. She should realized earlier that today would be hard for Caroline.

"You're not stuck Caroline." Elena began.

Caroline shook her head. "Yeah I am, but it's okay. You know, It's all good, I will be fine. But I just need some time to wallow in it.

"Okay, well I think I have another idea and you are coming with us Caroline whether you like it or not and there will be no arguments or do I have to guilt trip you with the sick friend with the bad heart card? So go get changed and we'll be on our way." Scarlett ordered and Caroline laughed quietly before retreating to her room and soon enough they left the Forbes house and got into Scarlett's jeep and she drove them towards the boarding house but took a detour instead through the woods. And once they had got far enough they unpacked the truck and Scarlett led them all into a tomb. "There it is, this is where we're going to celebrate…"

Bonnie looks at me sceptically. "This is creepy, even for us."

"No it's not if you think of it, Caroline was right.., technically, she is dead and has been for a while now. Sorry if that's harsh. But when I heard Caroline talk about being stuck I realized it…" Scarlett began before turning to Caroline. "You don't need a birthday, you need a funeral. You need to say goodbye to your old life so that you can move on with your new one. Accept that Caroline Forbes the human is dead and then embrace Caroline Forbes the vampire."

Caroline wearily laughed but Scarlett could see that she was coming around to the idea. "So here lies Caroline Forbes…"

"Cheerleader, Miss Mystic Falls, third grade hopscotch champion." Elena said as Scarlett began sticking the candles into the homemade cake she made this morning that Elena was currently holding.

"Friend, daughter, overachiever." Bonnie continued.

Matt smiled as he took over. "Mean girl, sometimes, no offense.

"Ah, none taken."

"She was 17, and she had a really good life. So rest in peace, so that she can move forward and embrace being the kick ass vampire that we all know and love. That's what you really need. What we all really need. Amen, or cheers or whatever. Bonnie?" Scarlett said looking at Bonnie and motioning for the candles to be lit and moments later Bonnie lit the candles using her powers. "Nice. Okay Care, make a wish."

Moments later Caroline blew out the candles and the birthday party/funeral/wake officially began starting with the eating off the cake whilst drinking the tequila. Although Scarlett was the only one not drinking due to her diet and someone had to be the designated driver so instead she talked and laughed with her friends and she actually included Bonnie and Elena in that circle as they had all been through so much in the past year and for tonight they needed to be high school seniors celebrating their friends birthday although it was in a tomb but it wasn't really relevant to Scarlett's point.

"Ah-ah. I need it more than you do, trust me. Caroline, what are you doing?" Elena said snatching the bottle out of Matt's hand before turning to Caroline who had been acting rather odd for the last twenty minutes.

"What? Nothing." Caroline said.

The fact that she said that so quickly went up like a huge warning light for Scarlett and she knew that the birthday girl was hiding something from the group and Scarlett wanted to know what it was. "Okay, you're a bad sober liar, you're an even worse drunk liar and I can spot a liar from a mile away so spill Forbes." Scarlett demanded.

"I might have texted Tyler…" Caroline said and Scarlett felt a blood vessel ready to pop in her brain, she could not believe that Caroline did given that Tyler was on Klaus' side and almost got Alaric and Jeremy killed. Scarlett was just livid and she wanted to scream but instead she went into her jacket pocket and took a pill for her heart instead. She was so not having an attack of Tyler Lockwood of all people. Taking another deep breath Scarlett got up and walked out of the tomb she needed to step out of this little situation for a few minutes to calm herself down so took a little bit of a walk but when's he came back something was wrong. Caroline was laying on the floor and from what Scarlett could make out there was a bite on her neck, a werewolf bite. "Care? Caroline can you hear me?"

"Mmm…" Caroline groaned and Scarlett just swore out loud very loud and taking a deep breath she refocused and ran back to the tomb but before she got there she found Matt laying not too far away who was slowly rising to his feet.

"Caroline, what happened? Who did this?"

"T-Tyler, he did this…" Caroline wearily said.

"Matt, what happened? Where is everyone…"

"I-I don't really know, Bonnie left after an argument with Elena and then we went to go find Car and then I felt something against the back of my head, t-that's it why?"

Ignoring Matt, Scarlett pulled out herself and hit 1 on speed dial and prayed like hell that Damon picked up the phone because if there was ever a time that she needed his help then it was now. And after what seemed like an eternity someone finally picked up. "Uncle Damon?"

"What's up Red?"

"Elena's missing!"

"What?"

"Yeah I don't know what happened exactly we're in the woods for Caroline's birthday and Tyler arrived then I walked off and when I came back Matt had just woken up from being knocked out and Elena was gone and Tyler has bitten Caroline." Scarlett hurriedly stated, she was trying her best not to freak out but it was kind of hard not to given the grim situation they were in.

"Tyler bit Caroline?" Matt demanded and Scarlett just motioned for him to be quiet.

"Uncle Damon I don't know what happened but you need to do something, I'm going to deal with Caroline and Matt. You find Elena, maybe if you do we'll find Klaus because we need him to save Care…" Scarlett said and she ended the call and stuffed her phone back into her pocket before Damon could even reply. Taking a deep breath Scarlett turned to Matt. "Hey, I need you to carry Caroline back to my car, you think you can do that?"

"Yeah." Matt said and Scarlett led Matt back over to where Caroline laid he picked her up and carried her all the way back to Scarlett's jeep and they headed straight back to her house, the drive back seemed to take forever and Caroline was getting worse quickly, murmuring things, asking for her mom and after some quite fast driving on Scarlett's part they got back into town in under twenty five minutes and a few minutes later they arrived at the Forbes house thankfully the front door was unlocked when they walked in.

"What happened?" Sheriff Forbes asked as she rushed over.

"Tyler bit her." Scarlett spat in absolute disgust; she still couldn't believe that Tyler did that after everything that Caroline had done for him. After this was over Scarlett was going to hunt him down and make him pay for what he did.

"Oh my god, sweet heart. Be careful. Oh, honey. Caroline, honey, can you hear me?" Sheriff Forbes questioned.

"I'm sorry mom. " Caroline quietly murmured and Scarlett had to bite her lip to stop herself from crying, too many people she had cared about were being bitten by werewolves first Rose, then Damon and now Caroline. And Tyler was the one behind Damon and Caroline being bitten and it just made Scarlett's hate for him grow more with every passing moment.

"She keeps hallucinating or something, I don't know." Matt stammered as he carried Caroline into her bedroom and put her down on her bed

"It's alright sweet heart." Sheriff Forbes said as she sat down by Caroline's side.

"I'm going to make a call see if I can't fix this." Scarlett wearily said a she made her way into the hallway and sighing to herself Scarlett went through her contact list and stopped at a specific contact. She wasn't sure if this number would work but she had got it from the hybrid that was killed at the homecoming party as she swiped his phone from his body because she thought it may come in handy someday. Turns out someday came pretty soon. Pressing the call button, Scarlett took a baited breath as the phone rang until someone finally picked up.

"Hello?"

"Wolf it's me, I need your help." Scarlett said, the last person she ever wanted to ask for help was Klaus but she was willing to swallow her pride if that meant saving Caroline's life. She was not going to let Caroline die not after everything that she had been through, she would not let her die. Scarlett refused to let that happen, she refused to lose another person that she loved. She was not going to lose one of her best friends.

"Ah Red Riding, what seems to be the problem?" Klaus questioned

"Your little spawn of Klaus bit Caroline an I need you to come and save her, she'll die otherwise so whatever you want in exchange I'll be willing to negotiate for just come to the Forbes house as soon as you can. Please." Scarlett pleaded.

"I'll be there as soon as I can." Klaus said with an amused tone in his voice and moments later the phone went dead and Scarlett just sank to the floor. She prayed like hell that Klaus would come through for her again. At this point she'd willingly agree to do anything to get him to save Caroline.

"Any luck?"

Looking up Scarlett saw Matt walk into the room and sit down on the floor next to her and he had this dejected look in his eyes and she could feel her heart breaking, as much as they had joked about Caroline being dead and even throwing her a 'funeral' today they couldn't lose her. "Maybe, I don't really know Matty, we'll just have to wait and see.

The two of them sat there for about close to an hour when the door finally went and Matt got up to open it and when he did Klaus stood in the doorway with a look on his face that Scarlett couldn't quite decipher. "Tyler came to see me. Poor boy, he seemed quiet distressed, he said Caroline had a terrible accident." Klaus began.

"You made him do this to her. He would have never done something like this." Matt angrily stated.

"I'm here to help Matt, your little friend Scarlett over there called me and begged me to come over and help as she knows my blood will heal Caroline, so please ask the sheriff to invite me inside. That is if you want Caroline to survive…" Klaus stated.

"I know how this game works. You want something in return." Sheriff Forbes began and Scarlett didn't even see the Sheriff come out of Caroline's room.

Klaus smiled. "Just your support."

"Come on in." Sheriff Forbes said much to the confusion of Scarlett as Klaus meant something by that comment about having her support which she didn't understand but the Sheriff did, Moments later Klaus walked across the threshold and the Sheriff pointed him in the direction of Caroline's room and in he went whilst the rest of them just waited in the hallway and five minutes later Klaus walked out.

"She'll be fine and I'll be on my way." Klaus said as he made his way to the front door but pausing when he reached Scarlett.

"Yes?"

"Let's walk" Klaus said holding out his hand to Scarlett and ever so reluctantly she took it and allowed him to help her up and the two of them walked out of the Forbes house together and onto the side walk before eventually stopping.

"Thank you for coming when I called." Scarlett managed to say, as much as she suspected Klaus had a hand behind off all this he did step up when it mattered most and saved Caroline's life although it was one of his damn hybrids who was responsible in the first place.

"I'm just happy to help."

"What do you want?" Scarlett questioned.

"Nothing."

"Bullshit. You want something Klaus, you always do so don't waste your time lying to me because when your as good as a liar as I am, you can spot a liar from a mile off and you stick of wolf and a whole bunch of lies Niklaus. So what do you want already?" Scarlett stated.

"I didn't have to help Caroline, I could have ignored your request when you called me and pleaded with me to save her life just like I didn't have to help you after that little incident at homecoming, but I didn't, I can occasionally do the right thing without wanting anything in return, you'd be wise to remember that Scarlett Elizabeth Anne…"

Scarlett didn't believe a word of that and she also wanted to know how he knew he middle names but that wasn't exactly the most pressing thing right now and she figured it would be best not to piss Klaus off given that he was right in a manner of speaking. He didn't have to help her or Scarlett but he did anyway, so instead she 'd give him a little warning to pass along.

"You had better tell Tyler Lockwood to run as fast and as far as those wolf legs can take him as because I'm going to be hunting him down with my axe and trust me I won't be cutting him open and stuffing rocks in his belly. I'll cut his god damn hybrid piece of scrap head off and mount it to my wall…"


	70. Chapter 70

_So epically long chapter here which was taken me since 10am this morning till 4 this afternoon and it's just crazy but that's all i'm going to say although there is a big surprise for you all towards the end which you'll all enjoy but i'm not saying what it is so you'll have to read to find out, enjoy xx  
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Yawning Scarlett made her way down the stairs with Violetta in her arms as Scarlett had a pile of homework waiting for her in the living room that she needed to get started on and the sooner it was finished the better it would be, It had been three days since the whole Caroline being bitten thing and the whole Stefan kidnapping Elena feeding her his blood and threatening to kill her in front of Klaus and the town's medical examiner had been killed vampire style despite being human. Things were the same as usual with some kind of supernatural problem going on like the one currently going on in her house. There was Klaus sitting in her living room with Lucrezia in his lap drinking a scotch. "You have real nerve showing your face in my house again, you know that right?" Scarlett questioned as she placed Violetta on the couch.

"Lovely to see you too Scarlett." Klaus said as he stroked Lucrezia.

"Give me her!" Scarlett said walking over to Klaus and taking her cat off him and placing Lucrezia on the couch with Violetta. Something was seriously up with Lucrezia If she was all buddy with Klaus and still loved Stefan yet hated Damon with a passion. But that was a problem for later.

"Beautiful name Lucrezia, named after the daughter of Rodrigo Borgia or if you prefer Pope Alexander VI I presume." Klaus questioned.

"Yeah, I'm guessing that he's an old friend of yours?" Scarlett stated and it wasn't that much of a stretch considering how old Klaus was, he could have possibly been friends with the entire Borgia family and her question caused Klaus to laugh. Which made Scarlett suspect that he wasn't but you never know, it seemed like the hybrid would have a lot of common with family infamous for murder, theft, bribery and just down right nasty and ruthless, probably taught them all he knew.

"That black eye of yours has finally gone." Klaus said efficiently changing the subject along and this time to Scarlett's eye, which was finally all healed up for the most part and no longer looked like a part of the rainbow and could be covered up completely with some good concealer.

"Yes it has."

"Seen Stefan yet?" Klaus questioned.

"No, I've been avoiding him for obvious reasons." Scarlett said as she chose to sit down as it was weird talking down to Klaus. "I suppose that's why you're here, but you know you could have called or something to let someone know you were coming? Breaking and entering is a crime, not that I suppose that you really care. When you're a vampire and have lived as long as you have, things like that must be so trivial…"

"It wasn't a crime as I didn't break anything, the door was open so I simply entered." Klaus pointed out and Scarlett couldn't help but smile, he did have a point as Scarlett dimply didn't bother locking the front door as it was too much hassle and people walked in and out the house all day anyway. It was easier for Scarlett to stop bothering although that seemed like a mistake when undesirables like Klaus invited themselves over.

"So let me guess, you're here to talk to Stefan about getting your family back?" Scarlett began as that seemed to be the only plausible explanation

"If you know anything Scarlett feel free to tell me what you know or better yet try and convince Stefan to do the right thing and had them back over. Klaus replied."

"Talking to the wrong person friend, the Stefan that is running around town pissing everyone off isn't my uncle. I have no idea who that man is so I'm not even going to bother with him especially after what he done, so your out of luck I'm afraid. But what I will say is that I miss Elijah, he was real hoot. Even with that whole lack of/dry sense of humour thing he had going on, it was hard not to like him as he so well mannered but a total bad ass at the same time. I couldn't believe it when I found out the two of you were brothers." Scarlett began before taking a deep breath. "Niklaus…"

"Yes Scarlett…" Klaus replied copying how Scarlett put extra emphasis on her name.

"Do you have any other siblings apart from Rebekah and Elijah?" Scarlett questioned.

Klaus gave her an odd look before nodding his head. "Brothers, two or which are originals one is elder and one is younger. But enough about me what about you Little One?"

"Me? Prime example of an only child" Scarlett said with an exaggerated snort as moments after she had Stefan had walked in and had an odd look on his face as he surveyed the scene in front of him and Scarlett felt herself immediately stiffen at his presence in the room. Given that it was the first time that they had seen each other and been in the same room since homecoming. Scarlett wished she was invisible at this process moment.

"What are you doing here, Klaus?" Stefan questioned.

"Enjoying our stalemate and of course having a delightful conversation with my good friend and your niece. She's quite the history buff and conversationalist, you should be rather proud of her, I would be." Klaus idly said no doubt in an attempt to push Stefan's buttons but Scarlett still took the compliment anyway.

"What do you want?

"The question is what you want? My hybrids left town as you demanded, so please tell me what I need to do to get my family back." Klaus asked with a pleasant smile on his face.

Stefan smirked as he sat down. "Well, see... Klaus...I'm not negotiating."

"And you understand, that holding them indefinitely is the same thing as dropping them in the ocean?" Klaus questioned.

"No, No. You leave Mystic Falls and then give me call in a few years and we'll talk." Stefan offered.

Klaus smiled a rather strained smile and Scarlett could see that he was trying his best not to loose his temper and Scarlett prayed he wouldn't because Klaus like her and Damon tended to last out when he was mad and he liked hurting the family of people who pissed him off and in this situation that was here. And she'd rather avoid that. "I can give you another chance. Just one more. Let's make a reasonable deal."

"Or what? You make one move and I will drop..." Stefan questioned as he leaned

"Yes, right. Crazy Stefan. How is that working out for you? Any friends left? Because it seems like you don't have anyone, no friends and certainly no family especially after what you've put them through recently." Klaus said with a laugh before pointing to Scarlett. "What did you tell me Red Riding? If he had hit you any harder then he would have fractured your eye socket and possible broken her nose. Hitting your seventeen year old niece, classy. It was pretty nasty from what I recall. Some shiner she had…"

"Coming from the man whose daggered his entire family and killed his own father?" Stefan said with a small chuckle and Scarlett felt like she had been punched in the stomach.

"I never said I was perfect but even I wouldn't hit her… Hitting your seventeen year old niece, classy. It was pretty nasty from what I recall." Klaus taunted before rising from his seat. "Think about what I've said and reconsider.

Scarlett watched as Klaus walked out the door, leaving her alone in the house with Stefan. She chose to stay where she was. Until she realized that she didn't want to be here anymore, she didn't' feel safe being in the same room as Stefan. "Scarlett wait…"

"Y-You know you haven't come to find me once, not once since homecoming or even attempt to apologize for what you did. Too busy in your crusade of literally pushing people away and pissing off Klaus to bother to care. I have no idea who you are anymore just a bigger jerk than Damon's ever been." Scarlett stated.

"What did you tell him?"

"Excuse me?" Scarlett

"Klaus. What did you tell him before I can because by the sounds of it the two you have become rather friendly rather lately."

"Unbloody believable, seriously you've out done yourself. Firstly Klaus and I aren't friends in the slightest we're just polite to each other and call each by nicknames and share the occasionally joke and secondly don't worry I didn't tell him where you hid his coffins. I'm not stupid but a word of advice, this is going to end badly for you the way your going and eventually everyone is going to give up you like I have. We looked for you for months, went after every lead and every dead body you left down the eastern sea board because we wanted you home, now I'm starting to think we did the wrong thing maybe we should have left you with Klaus because I'd rather you be his problem then ours." Scarlett replied before storming out of the house to go take a rather long walk through the woods, she was so annoyed with Stefan and she starting to wear thin of this new careless attitude of him. She used to think that Damon was a major ass but it turns out baby brother was an even bigger ass and he really needed some sense knocked into him. During the time that she was walking Scarlett received an ominous text from Damon.

_Meet me at the old witch house._

Sensing some kind of urgency in the matter Scarlett ran from where she was in the woods and it took her about twenty minutes for her to get there and when she got there Damon was outside waiting for her. "What's up?"

"Klaus is on his way, his knows that the coffins are here?" Damon stated.

"How?"

"Bonnie the teenage witch has been having these dream about the coffin we haven't been able to unlock and a woman who she thinks can help her kill Klaus, turns out the woman was her long lost mother so she and Elena took a road trip to see her but Klaus and his hybrids got there before her and compelled mama witch, so we're sending Klaus a bit of a message. So we'll let him have the coffins just not the unlock able one, Bonnie thinks whatever is in it is the key to killing Klaus so I'm going to hide on to it. But we're going to do something else…" Damon said.

"What exactly?" Scarlett questioned.

"Glad you asked Red, follow me." Damon said and Scarlett followed Damon into a room where the big bad coffins were being kept and one in particular was open; the one containing Elijah and it clicked in and Scarlett looked at Damon with a proud smirk on his face.

"Let me guess, you think baby boy needs some tough love from his big brother." Scarlett said.

"Got it in one."

"Is this going to work? Because as pissed as Elijah will be that Klaus daggered him and has been carting him around in a casket for the last four months this could potentially backfire, you know that right?" Scarlett questioned. "But I'm guessing you've already thought about that and how it'll be Klaus' problem not ours but enough about that we need to take dead boy over here and get rid of him before Klaus gets here but we also need to fill the coffin with something. I doubt Klaus will check but if he notices it's suddenly gotten very lighter he'll become suspicious."

"Right." Damon said and the two of them got to work, whilst Damon took Elijah out of the house Scarlett went about filling the coffin with an assortment of crap to make it roughly equal to Elijah's weight and once she had filled it with as much crap as she could, she shut the coffin and then went back outside to where Damon was waiting. They decided to put Elijah's body in Damon's boot and drive about ten minutes away in distance un dagger him and then come back and wait for Klaus to arrive.

"Bloody hell! For a good looking guy Elijah sure is heavy." Scarlett said as she helped shove Elijah's body in the boot and her statement caused Damon to snort in amusement. "So how are things on the Alaric and Dr. Fell front?"

"Complicated, I think she's a psychotic psychopath as she drugged me and took my blood but that's a story for later, right now we got to deal with the guy in the trunk." Damon said as he made his way to the drivers seat and Scarlett climbed into the passenger's seat and off they went. When they arrived at a suitable destination they unloaded Elijah and Damon held up a note to Scarlett. "I figured I'd leave a calling card, you think he'll know who sent it?"

Scarlett read the note which read 'Dear Elijah, let's get together and plot the destruction of your brother, xoxo' and she couldn't help but laugh of course Elijah was going to know who left it as Damon was the only arrogant enough person to do such a think. "Yeah I think so."

"I figured." Damon said as he slid it into Elijah's jacket pocket before proceeding to move his hand over to the dagger.

"Can I do it?" Scarlett questioned.

"Sure why not Red? You've been my accomplice in all of this so you should reap the rewards of this." Damon replied and laughing Scarlett pulled the dagger out of Elijah's heart and handed it over to Damon. "It's getting very dark, we should probably get back to the witches den…"

"Yep, we'll wait for Klaus to show his face there." Damon said in agreement and the two of them headed back to his car, the two of them were having a bundle of laughs over this entire day and Scarlett didn't want to spoil that so she kept her little conversation with Stefan and Klaus to herself, she'd tell him once they got back home.

Twenty minutes later they arrived back at the witches house and head to where the other coffins were carefully hidden but when they walked in they saw that all the candles in the room were all lit which would have been odd if wasn't for the fact that the spirits of a hundred dead witches dwelled here. As they stood there Scarlett heard footsteps and out of the darkness walked in Klaus.

"What took you so long? Hiding behind your witchy friends. And in squalor no less." Klaus said in a cocky and amused tone of voice but seconds later he dropped to the floor clutching his head and the flames on the candles started flaring up.

"Insulting a bunch of dead witches... not smart thing to do especially to ones who hate vampires. Damon made the exact same mistake first time he came in here." Scarlett informed Klaus.

"Well, you know, the funny thing about witches is, that living or death, they care about their own. A hundred dead witches have a thousand living descendants... And I have no problem, killing every last one of them, if I don't get my coffins back. As we speak, my hybrid friend is prepared to end the Bennett line. Now... please... show me the coffins."" Klaus threatened and as he did the candles died down and Klaus stood up and seconds later the coffins came back into view and a smile graced his face until he realized something was wrong. "Here we are. Where's the fourth? Show me!"

Damon shrugged his shoulders as he began walking around the room, "Well, here's the thing. They can't. It's not here."

"What did you do?" Klaus demanded as he began to follow Damon.

"Well, Bonnie gave me the heads-up. I didn't have enough time, to get all four, but I did have time to get one." Damon teased.

" I will tear you, limb from limb. And only then, when you're a riving mass of blood and flesh, will I rip your heart from your chest. Then I'll do the same thing to your pretty little niece and I'll make it ten times worse for her." Klaus threatened and Scarlett just yawned, people threatened to kill her all the time and it was nothing new.

"Sorry. The same rules apply. You know, leverage and all. I know you want your family back. But something tells me, you want what's in that coffin a lot more. C'mon Red let's go." Damon said and the two of them left Klaus to it and went home where they went and hung out in the living room with Scarlett sitting on the couch with Lucrezia whilst Damon stood in front of the fireplace drinking scotch and Damon filled her in on the whole situation with Dr. Fell and how he thought she was a murderer and so on.

"You know your brother is an complete and utter ass, I think we should disown him!" Scarlett stated.

"Really is that so?" Damon asked in amusement.

"Yeah I saw him today, he didn't even bother to apologize for the damage he done to his face and I am so over his bad boy I don't care about anything or anyone phase or lifestyle that he's doing now. Can we skip the waiting for it pass thing and go straight back to the ass kicking part, please?" Scarlett questioned which caused Damon to laugh, that was until Stefan walked into the room.

"Oh, you're still alive. I assume, that means Klaus didn't get his coffins." Stefan said actually sounding disappointed and Scarlett just rolled her eyes, like she said; utter jackass.

Damon sneered in return as he walked over to Stefan. "Don't look so happy, I was only able to get one of them out in time. The locked one."

"Probably a good choice."

"Yeah. You know, if you're banking on Bonnie's mom to open it, you're screwed. She doesn't have any powers." Damon offered.

"Doesn't surprise me. Its been that kind of night." Stefan says in that bored tone of voice that screamed I don't care and I want you and the rest of the damn world to know that I only care about myself and me alone before starting to walk away.

"Is Elena okay?" Damon asked and Stefan stopped in his step before proceeding to turn around and punch Damon in the face. No doubt he had finally found out about the most recent kiss between the two of them. "I take it, you two had a heart to heart. And I take it, you don't wanna talk about it. Noted. So why don't we talk about something Red and I picked up today? Red if you will…"

Scarlett picked up the dagger that was witting to the left of her and handed it over to Damon who then proceeded to twirl it in front of Stefan. "What did you do?"

"We decided to outsource some outside help from an old friend, does the name Elijah ring a bell?" Scarlett quipped and she watched as Stefan's face fell.

"You undaggered Elijah?" Stefan demanded.

"Yeah we did, get over it already." Scarlett said as she rose from her seat, picking up Lucrezia as she did. For the time being she was done with Stefan so whatever he wanted to bitch about Damon could deal with it as she had work in the morning and she needed to sleep if she was going to get through her shift without hitting someone. So off to bed she went and in the morning Scarlett got up and made her way to work, grateful to be in a place where the only problems she typically had were rude costumers and being under tipped. Or so she thought until she got two phone calls, the first was from Elena calling to update her about Caroline's dad who had been attacked last night and then killed but he wasn't dead instead he was in transition. The other phone call was from Damon saying that they had been invited to Casa de Original to have a little sit down and she had to come. But Scarlett knew Damon and he knew her so instead of lying he told her the truth about how they weren't really going to come up with a truth they were just buying time in order for Bonnie and her mom to open the secret tomb

And hours later there Scarlett was dressed in a pretty dress, nice heels and her and make up done all nicely. Waiting outside a black side door of a very fashion mansion, she knew Klaus wanted to stay in Mystic Falls but bloody he wasn't being quiet about it in the slightest. Fiddling with her hands Scarlett looked around anxiously until the door finally opened to reveal Elijah. "Niklaus, our guests have arrived." Elijah said motioning for them to come in and so they did, walked into a house that could easily out do the boarding house.

"Damon. Stefan and Scarlett. Elijah tells me, you seek an audience. Very bold. Let's discuss the terms of our agreement like civilised men and women, shall we?" Klaus said motioning to a round table that had been set up for a dinner party and Scarlett just looked at Elijah for an explanation as they walked further into the room.

"It's better to indulge him." Elijah said and Scarlett just nodded but apparently Stefan didn't want to that and felt it better just to piss Klaus off just a bit more much to Scarlett's annoyance.

"I didn't come here to eat, Klaus. Fact, I didn't want to come here at all. But I was told, I had to cause you would hear us out." Stefan stated.

"Well, we can sit and eat or I can reach down your throats and pull out your insides. The choice is yours." Klaus said with a bright smile as he sat down in a seat and Scarlett just shared a look with Damon and in turn they looked over at Stefan. She didn't know about Stefan but Scarlett knew that herself and Damon didn't wanted their insides ripped out so they were staying and if they were then so was Stefan.

"Again with the threats Niklaus, would it kill you to say please for once? But I'll let it slide for once." Scarlett said dramatically in order to break the deadly awkward silence in the room as she slid off her coat which was taken by one of the servers and she made way over to the table and Elijah held out a chair for Scarlett,

"Good girl." Klaus quipped before looking over to Stefan and Damon. "You could learn a thing or two from your niece, only one out of the three of you with an actual brain.

The five of them all sat down at the table with Elijah sitting between Klaus and Stefan, then Scarlett was sitting between Klaus and Damon, then Damon sitting between her and Stefan. The servers who Klaus had no doubt compelled began bringing in food and started pouring wine for everyone although before Scarlett could have a chance to refuse both Damon and Klaus did at the same time. So they all sat there eating and drinking except for Stefan was miserable as per usual. "Thank you love." Damon told a server who had just refilled his glass for him."

"You lost your appetite." Klaus noted looking at Stefan who had yet to touch his plate.

Damon turned to Stefan. "Eat. I thought we agreed that we would leave the grumpy Stefan at home?

"That's the spirit. Isn't it nice? The five of us dining together? Such a treat. Is this what you had in mind when you pulled the dagger from my brother?" Klaus asked Damon.

"Actually Klaus, that was all of my doing I'm afraid. Although he was there when I undaggered Elijah…" Scarlett idly said as she continued to eat her food, which was rather good she had to admit but it had nothing on her cooking in the slightest but she wasn't going to say that out loud because she unlike certain people i.e Stefan could behave in public when needed.

"Red's right but I know how he felt about you, so I figured the more, the merrier so I let her pull the dagger out because she's been very helpful lately and I know fond she is of Elijah." Damon cheerfully said.

"Well, Elijah and I have had our share of quarrels over the century. But we always make it through…"

"Kind of like you and Rebekah, right? Where is she, by the way? Last I checked she was still daggered because you were afraid to face her." Stefan questioned and Scarlett took a baited breath she knew that Stefan was talking about how Klaus had yet to speak to his sister after she found out he killed their mother and they were certain that if Rebekah hadn't know, then the same applied to Elijah.

"If you're referring to the fact that Rebekah knows I killed our mother, I've already come clean to Elijah." Klaus said as he shared a look with Elijah and Scarlett looked around easily, even Elijah as aloof as he could be at times was prone to getting a smidge mad and there was no way he would be cool about the fact his brother had killed him mother and lied about it for a thousand years by blaming it on their father.

"Hey, Stef, remember when you killed dad? Might want to dial down the judgment until dessert." Damon quipped.

"We're here to make a deal, Damon. Doesn't mean we need to kiss his ass for seven courses." Stefan retorted.

"I'm just saying we have a long evening ahead of us. Pace yourself." Damon forcefully replied.

"And whilst we're at it we can stop discussing dead parents because whilst you all seem comfortable with discussing it, I'd frankly not especially after recent events…" Scarlett wearily said looking away from the table, talking about parents was kind of a sore point with her at the moment and she rather preferred not to think about it let alone talk about it.

"Recent events?" Stefan questioned.

"The little ghost incident a while back? When Lexi was trying to fix you, she wasn't the only person who came back as a ghost; Gabriel came back to see Red. He wanted to make sure we hadn't screwed his only child up completely yet before finally moving on." Damon said and Scarlett didn't know were to look and so she was thankful when Elijah moved things alone that she even mouthed thank you.

"Stefan. Where is the lovely Elena tonight?"

"I don't know. Ask Damon." Stefan drily quipped which caused Klaus to laugh and Elijah looked confused as to what was going on and one would be as Scarlett found this whole Stefan/Elena/Damon love triangle was awfully confusing and rather difficult to keep up with at the best of times and no doubt worse for someone who had been dead for a few months.

"I'm sorry, you've missed so much. Uh- trouble in paradise." Klaus explained and Scarlett couldn't help but snicker in amusement.

"One more word about Elena and this dinner's over." Stefan said but it did nothing to stop Klaus who just kept laughing, he clearly found this all amusing and Scarlett couldn't exactly blame him for it

"You know what, probably best just to keep Elena in the do not discuss pile." Damon suggested.

"You're probably right." Klaus said nodding to himself before laughing yet again and turning to Elijah. "It's just the allure of the Petrova doppelganger, still so strong. What do you say, brother? Should we tell them about Tatia?

Elijah tensed up slightly and seemed un eased about this whole thing. "Now why should we discuss matters long since resolved?"

"Well, given their shared affection for both Elena and Katerina, by that I mean Stefan and Damon, not the lovely Scarlett but I think our guests might be curious to learn about the originator of the Petrova line." Klaus said and Scarlett piped up interest.

"Please do tell all Elijah, you know that I love a good story especially one with a historical element to it and given how the interesting the two doppelgängers have been I'd loved to hear about the progenitor of the Petrova Doppelgänger line." Scarlett said as she took a sip of water.

"When our family first settled here, there was a girl named Tatia, she was an exquisite beauty. Every boy of age desired to be her suitor, even though she'd had a child by another man. And none loved her more than Niklaus." Elijah began and Scarlett's brow lifted slightly, Klaus is love? That was very hard to believe.

"I'd say there was one who loved her at least as much." Klaus replied looking directly at Elijah and all three Salvatore's looked at Klaus and Elijah in shock. Another love triangle involving yet another Petrova.

"Wait a minute, so you both loved the same girl?" Scarlett questioned in amazement. "What is it with these Petrova women?"

"Our mother was a very powerful witch. She sought to end our feud over Tatia and so she took her. Klaus and I would later learn that it was Tatia's blood that we consumed in the wine on the night where our mother performed the spell, which turned us into vampires. Tatia wouldn't make a decision between the two of us, so for a time Niklaus and I... grew estranged. Harsh words were traded, we even came to blows, didn't we, brother?"

"But in the end we realized the sacred bond of family." Klaus said.

"Family above all." Elijah replied as him and Klaus both raised their glasses.

"Family above all." Klaus said as the two of them clinked their glasses together and after they drank Klaus looked at the three Salvatore's. "No toast for the three of you? Oh yes I forget there's a bit of an estrangement between the three of you at the moment."

"Estrangement is that so?" Elijah questioned.

"Yes brother, it all started after Stefan came on a little trip with me this summer and things between the Salvatore's had been tense ever since he came home but things have been pretty bad ever since Stefan gave Scarlett a very nasty black eyes two weeks ago." Klaus offhandedly said as the servers came to remove the plates.

"Not that I'm condoning Stefan's actions or forgiven him for them but I'd rather a black eye then be stabbed in the heart and stuffed into a coffin and be carted out around like some prize." Scarlett retorted.

"So, why don't we move this evening along and discuss the terms of this proposal?" Elijah said moving things along much to Scarlett's relief.

"That's very simple. Klaus gets his coffin back, in exchange, he and the Original extended family leave Mystic Falls forever. Red, Stefan, Elena, and myself live happily ever after. No grudges." Damon stated.

Elijah looked at Klaus. "The deal sounds fair, brother."

"I don't think you understand, Elena's doppelganger blood insures that I will always have more hybrids to fight those that oppose me. I will never leave her behind." Klaus said as got up and started to pace around the room. "Let's say I do leave her here, under your protection, what then? How long before one of you turns her into a vampire? Or worse, how long before she dies caught between your feuding? You see, each one of you truly believes that you're the one that can protect her, and that is simply a delusion. Gentlemen, the worst thing for Elena Gilbert is... the two of you."

"I'm gonna get some air." Damon said getting up and walking out of the room and Scarlett rose to quickly follow him but Elijah shook his head at her as he rose.

"Let me deal with this."

"You know, all this talk has made me thirsty… I know you don't drink Scarlett but what do you say Stefan, can I interest you in a little after dinner drink?" Klaus offered as one of the blonde serves walked in and stood next to Klaus and needing no invite he bite on her and Scarlett could only look away as Klaus fed of her completely and a couple of minutes he dropped her dead body on the ground. "Delicious. Aged to perfection."

"What do you say, Klaus? It's time for you to put something on the table. We've made our offer, now you counter." Damon said as he and Elijah walked back into the room.

Klaus chuckled as he wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "Okay. I offer Elena's future happiness. You see, what she needs right now is to be rid of you lot. And to fall in love with a human, maybe that nice football player, you know the blond one? Best friends with Scarlett…"

"Matt Donovan? Really?" Damon scoffed.

"Hey! What have I told you about Matt? Be more respectful damn it!" Scarlett retorted and Damon just chose to roll his eyes.

"Yeah, why not? They'll marry, live a long and fruitful life, and pop out a perfect family –" Klaus began.

"–And continue the Petrova bloodline. Every few hundred years, you'll have a new doppelganger to drain and never run out of hybrids, right Klaus?" Scarlett said finishing what Klaus was no doubt going to say.

"Consider it a small return on my investment in her well being. See after you hand me back the coffin, I'll ensure her safety for the rest of her natural life, you know it's what's best for her." Klaus said as he got up and walked over to Stefan. "So, what do you say Stefan, do we have a deal?"

Stefan didn't say anything instead he just took a few steps closer to Klaus and the hybrid held out his hand but Stefan just grabbed it. "Nice try, Klaus. But no deal."

Not getting the response Klaus broke Stefan's arm then kicked Stefan's leg and broke that as well and then pushed his hand into the fireplace where it started to burn, when Damon attempted to stop Klaus Elijah pushed him up against the all. "What are you doing?" Damon demeaned.

"Stop!" Scarlett yelled as Klaus continued to hold Stefan's arm in the fire that was now badly burnt and Scarlett could just smell badly burnt flesh and she wanted to be sick.

"Now, bring me my coffin before I burn him alive." Klaus yelled.

"I'll get it." Damon reluctantly said.

"Go with him, brother, you keep him honest and take Red Riding over here with you. And when you return, I will make good on my promise to you and I will hand over our family." Klaus told Elijah who let go off Damon and the two of them along with Scarlett left the room and on the way grabbed Scarlett's coat. Think they were leaving Scarlett headed towards the door but Elijah motioned for her to be quiet and took Scarlett's hand and led her along with Damon to a different room in the house. It was a room that had all the coffins and they were all opened.

Elijah didn't have to say anything because Scarlett believe she understood as she looked the room, she knew that he wouldn't have been able to forgive Klaus for killing his mother so easily nor the fact that he had save his life and instead of keeping his promise to reunite Elijah with their family Klaus neutralized him instead. Scarlett walked around the room look at the different caskets, the first person she saw was Rebekah still in her home coming dress but there was no dagger in her body. And the colour was coming back to her body. "Y-You've…" Scarlett began referring to the fact that all the other originals had been undaggered.

"Yes…" Elijah replied.

Scarlett walked around the room and took in the other two caskets, the first one she past held a man with shoulder length hair dressed in attire that was from way back in the day. Continuing to walk around Scarlett looked into the second casket, in it was a younger man and Scarlett assumed that this was the younger brother that Klaus mentioned, he looked like Elijah and looked peaceful but yet in pain at the same time. He was dressed in clothes that were much younger than the other man who Scarlett believed to be the elder brother that Klaus had briefly mentioned. Scarlett stood where she was and just stared at the vampire in front of her until a pair of dark brown eyes open and the vampire in front of her took a deep intake of breath. Scarlett opened her mouth to scream but before she could even do that she felt a hand clamp down over her mouth and she looked to see that it was Elijah.

After a few moments Elijah removed his hand and Scarlett turned her attention back to the vampire who just scared the crap at her and he was looking at her with a small smirk on his face and Scarlett couldn't help but smile at him before she walked away to join Damon. The guy had just scared the crap out of her and he found it funny and Scarlett had to admit that so she would see if she had just woken up after being dead and the same thing happened.

Scarlett and Damon watched as Rebekah along with her two other siblings climbed out of their caskets and joined Elijah and the four of them all talked for a few minutes before Elijah came back over to Scarlett and Damon brandishing two dangers in his hand. "It's time that we rejoin Klaus and Stefan."

Following Elijah they made their way back but made a pit stop as Elijah compelled a sever to come with them as he placed the dangers on a silver plate and covered them with a red cloth. When they re-entered the room they found Klaus asking Stefan asking where the ripper had gone before he had finally noticed that they had come back or rather they hadn't left. "Elijah... why haven't you left?"

"Where are you manners, brother? We forgot dessert." Elijah said with a small chuckle as he took off the cover off the plate a blonde woman is carrying to reveal the two daggers.

"What have you done?" Klaus questioned.

Elijah seemed awfully relaxed but then Scarlett noted he always was when he was about to go into badass original vampire mode. "What have you done? You see I've learned not to trust your vulgar promises, Klaus. We're doing this on my terms now."

As he did the younger vampire that had spooked Scarlett walked in straight past her and winked at her briefly and Klaus looked like he had seen a bloody ghost, Scarlett had never seen him that scared. "Kol…" Klaus began and Scarlett made a mental note of the Mini Elijah's name.

"Long time, brother." Kol said as Klaus began to back away and as he did the other vampire brother appeared and grabbed a dagger off the plate and proceeded to stab Klaus though the band.

"Finn, don't!" Klaus pleaded with his other brother as he tried to run away but he ran straight into the not so happy Rebekah who liked furious with him. "Rebekah?

"This is for our mother." Rebekah stated moments after she stabbed him and Kol stumbled back and fell into Kol's arms who began to restrain him and Scarlett looked around unsure of what to do or say.

"You're free to go. This is family business." Elijah announced and not needing to be told twice all three Salvatore's quickly left the house and made their way towards Damon's car and as she they did Scarlett dug out her phone and saw that she had several missed calls and about a new voicemail. Putting her phone to her ear Scarlett listened to the voicemail, which was from Sheriff Forbes and it her in utter shock.

"Oh god…" Scarlett stammered as she placed her hand over her mouth in shock, she couldn't believe what she had just heard.

"What is it Red?" Damon questioned

"Caroline's dad didn't complete his transition, he's now dead." Scarlett wearily said as she shook her head in disbelief she couldn't believe this was happened and her mind went straight to Caroline. "I have to go to her…"

"Here, take my car we'll walk." Damon said chucking Scarlett the keys to his car and nodding her head shakily Scarlett climbed into the car and was soon driving to the Forbes house where she arrived ten minutes later. Standing at the front door Scarlett took a deep breath before she knocked and two minutes later Sheriff Forbes appeared and the grief was all too apparent on her face. "I just got your message, I would have been her sooner…"

Sheriff Forbes just shook her head as she motioned for Scarlett to come in. "It's fine, thank you for coming Scarlett."

"Where is she?"

"In her bedroom with, him…" Sheriff Forbes said and Scarlett nodded and made her way through the house until she reached Caroline's bedroom and when she did Caroline looked up from where she was sitting on the floor with such as a sad look in her eyes. Discarding her shoes and jacket, Scarlett made her way over and joined Caroline on the floor.

"Care, I'm so sorry…"

"H-He's gone…" Caroline sobbed as her body became wracked with grief and Scarlett pulled Caroline close to her and hugged her as hard as she possible could. It was the only thing she knew what to do because she only knew what Caroline was feeling as she had been in the same place that she was all those years ago when her father died. This day pretty much sucked in general and she hated the fact that the people she loved were hurting so much and there as nothing she do to fix it…


	71. Chapter 71

_So here it is the big ball chapter! Scarlett and Kol will officially meet and things kind of go on from there but don't get too excited as things won't be plain sailing for the two of them xx_

* * *

Scarlett sat in the library playing an idle tune on the piano in order to help clear her mind, the last couple of days had been really stressful in particular last night with the whole Caroline thing. It literally killed her to lose her dad after all the progress they had made since he first came back to town and found out she was a vampire. Scarlett knew what Caroline was going through given that she had lost her dad too but she had lost her father at such a young age so whilst she knew how Caroline was feeling from experience Scarlett could being to comprehended what it would be like to lose a father at their age. As she sat playing the piano Scarlett saw Stefan and Damon both walk into the library and stand in the doorway. "Hey…" She weakly began, it was the first time she had seen them since that had parted ways after Klaus' creepy ass dinner party.

"I didn't know that you were back already." Damon said as Scarlett had stayed with Caroline all of last night and then come home to get give Caroline some breathing space and to run a couple of errands.

"Yeah I've been in and out for most of the day, no one was in when I first got in and I got changed out of my dress from last night then I've been doing a couple of things and then I had to go pick my prescription refill. So I've been all over the place, I would have called or something but I wasn't thinking oh and your car keys in your bedroom Uncle Damon." Scarlett said.

"How Caroline doing?" Stefan questioned.

"Better than expected, it's hard for her in general because she loved her dad so much and thy were pretty close but she knows that this is what her father wanted, Mr. Forbes didn't want to become a vampire it's just going to take some time for her to process it all and deal but she has her mom and the rest of us." Scarlett said with a small nod. "How's Alaric? I heard from Elena what happened to last night and what about Bonnie and her mom…"

"Everyone's good, Ric's in the hospital staying for observation and the Sheriff is worried as three people from the council have now been attacked and we now know that Dr. Meredith isn't behind the attacks. Bonnie and her mom are fine, in hiding just in case of Klaus and the rest of his family…" Damon said.

"Did Elena tell you?" Stefan questioned.

"Tell me what?" Scarlett asked.

"That it was Mama Original in the coffin that refused to be open and before you say anything Red, we all thought that the Big Bad Klaus ripped her heart out but somehow she's alive and know the original family or the Mikaelson's as they are going by are throwing some kind of ball tonight and Mother Witch wants a meeting with Elena–" Damon began going into full rant mode as he was clearly not happy about any of this.

"I know, well I didn't know the person in the coffin was Mama Original or that she wanted to meet Elena but I knew about the ball, there was an invitation waiting for me when I got home. I know that Caroline and Matt have also been invited, pretty much everyone in town has…" Scarlett said as she stopped playing the piano briefly to hold out the invitation that she had received which had her name written on the envelope in beautiful calligraphy. It had naturally taken her by surprise by she first opened the envelope and found the invitation and she found herself curious about the ball so she decided that she would attended and Scarlett had gone and brought a gown to night. She was purely going out of interest to see what the hell Klaus was up to now. So had nothing to do with his younger brother, but she was interested in seeing the whole original family together sans Papa Original.

"Your going?" Damon demanded.

"Pretty much, I've gone and picked up a dress already." Scarlett casually admitted.

"And you're not worried in the slightest at all?"

"Damon pretty much the entire town will be going to this party, they won't do anything to draw too much attention to themselves for then they already have. I doubt they will do anything to expose any of us but before you shot down the idea of not going, isn't it better to go in order to keep an eye on them?" Scarlett questioned and she knew that both Damon and Stefan knew she was right and with that taken care of she stopped playing and rose off the piano stool. "If you'll excuse me I should probably go upstairs and start getting ready as this ball starts in about two hours and if you two do decided to come, your going to have to dress appropriately."

With that said Scarlett excused herself and went upstairs to go and start getting ready, given her previous experience with the bloody founders she knew how to get herself ready and this time she had brought a very appropriate not to mention classy dress. Most people would think she'd go with a red dress again because of her name not to mention her nickname but Scarlett had gone with a navy dress, the sales advisor had told her to go with it as it went well with her pale complexion not to mention it would make her eyes pop. The dress Scarlett had picked was a one shoulder navy blue silk and chiffon tiered dress which sounded horrible when the sales assistant first described it to her but it wasn't that bad when Scarlett tried it on. How the dress was designed meant the tired ruffles were loose and flowed nicely so she brought it. Scarlett kept her make up and light and did her hair into a simple and elegant bun given her dress and for went the standard opera gloves as they threw everything off balance.

"Wow..." Damon began as Scarlett came down the stairs. "You look great."

"You look beautiful." Stefan said.

Feeling her cheeks burn Scarlett looked away for a moment before finally pulling herself together, she hadn't even gone to this damn ball already and she wanted to get out of this dress already. "Ready? Let's go and get this over with…"

"You heard the woman Stefan!"

When they arrived at the Mikaelson's mansion, it was filled full of people which made Scarlett feel a tad bit better although she'd feel better once she found someone she actually liked as Carol Lockwood was here and in the middle of a conversation with Damon whereas Stefan had vanished off the face of the earth. And as Scarlett aimlessly walked around the room she ran into Elijah, which was good as she liked him. "Hello Elijah, as always you look as handsome as ever." Scarlett said which was true as Elijah had the older guy thing going on from him especially since he was always in a suit and he looked very handsome in a tuxedo.

"Thank you Scarlett and I must return the compliment as you look very beautiful tonight, we're very glad that you were able to make it tonight, in particular my brother Kol. He'll be very pleased to see Scarlett as you seemed to have made quite an impression on him last night." Elijah replied.

"I very much doubt that, I suspect that your brother simply got a kick out of scaring me given it was the first thing he managed to do after being daggered for a significant amount of time but he caught me off guard, I wasn't expecting him to just open his eyes like that but he did and your brother very much enjoyed that." Scarlett idly said as she remembered how the younger male 'Mikaelson's' smirked at her after he had almost given her a heart attack.

"Oh I very much doubt that." A voice said from behind Scarlett said and despite the fact she had only heard that voice once yesterday she still recognized it and she slowly turned to see that it was the youngest original brother. Still looking very much like a Mini Elijah with an interesting accent. "We didn't have the pleasure to officially meet yesterday, I'm afraid I was a bit preoccupied to make introduction I do hope you'll forgive me for being so rude. I'm Kol Mikaelson."

"Scarlett Salvatore, it's pleasure to officially meet you." Scarlett replied before being surprised when Kol took her bare hand in his own and placed a gentle kiss. It felt weird in a way, it wasn't just the kiss on the hand but it was their hands touching and Kol's hand were surprisingly soft. It was rather unsettling for Scarlett feel like this.

"The pleasure is all mine and I meant no harm yesterday, I think I was perhaps taken aback more than you. It's not everyday that I wake up to see a beautiful women looking over me especially after being undaggered after a hundred years of being dead and in a coffin."

A hundred years? That's how long Klaus had kept him daggered, Scarlett was actually stunned by that because that a long time especially since the last hundred years had been the most productive in terms of technology and it's advancement. "This must all be surreal to you, one day the world is one day then you wake up and it's been hundred years and everything has changed. I don't know what that would be like." Scarlett questioned.

"Good thing it's me that has to worry about it." Kol began before being tapped on the shoulder by Elijah and Kol frowned briefly.

"Mother needs us Kol." Elijah said.

"Give me a moment Lijah." Kol said and the moment the words came out of his mouth it sent Scarlett off into a fit of giggles which was only made worse by the look of bemusement that Kol was giving her. "What's so funny?"

"You actually. You are a Mini Elijah and to hear you call him Lijah is very sweet." Scarlett said as another chuckle escaped her.

"Sweet?" Kol exclaimed in mock horror before it fell and was replaced with a very cheeky looking smile and that just sent Scarlett off into another fit to laughter. There was something about him, Scarlett didn't know what but it just made her smile and laugh, thinking about it she decided that Kol was one of those people with an infectious smile.

"Please go right ahead, your mother needs you and far be it from me to take up the quality family time. I'll be fine, in fact I'll be perfectly fine." Scarlett said with quite a bit of sarcasm which caused Kol to give her a bemused

"Well finish this later." Kol said giving a small bow before walking off with Elijah and Scarlett waddled through the crowds until she spotted Caroline of all people sipping on a glass of champagne, the last person Scarlett was expecting to see given that Caroline said she wasn't coming when they spoke a couple of hours ago.

"Care you came! And wow you look beautiful!" Scarlett said honestly as Caroline looked incredibly beautiful.

"Thank you, I just needed to get of the house as I was starting to lose my mind with all the casseroles which have been arriving by the dozen ever since you left this morning–" Caroline began before being interrupted.

"Uh, if everyone could gather, please." The sound of Elijah's voice said from the top of the staircase and everyone congregated to where the originals were all standing on the staircase as Elijah addressed the guests and there was older blond woman at the top of the stairs and Scarlett looked to her left and shared a look with Damon and Stefan, no doubt she was the infamous Mama Original and she walked further down the stairs to join her children. "Welcome, thank you for joining us. You know, whenever my mother brings our family together like this, it's tradition for us to commence the evening with a dance. "Tonight's pick is a centuries-old waltz, so if all of you could please find yourselves a partner, please join us in the ballroom."

Hoping to quietly hide somewhere Scarlett was frustrated yet bemused when Kol came out of nowhere and held out a hand towards her and flashed her a grin. "Hello partner."

"Seriously?" Scarlett questioned.

"Have to get you back for calling me sweet and implying that I'm a mama's boy, can't have you thinking I'm soft." Kol quipped as he took Scarlett's hand and led her into the ballroom where they joined the others and moments later they began dancing the waltz together.

Scarlett let out a quiet scoff as they danced. "You're related to Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah not to mention that you are an original like the rest of your siblings and I saw you physically restraining your own brother whilst the rest of your siblings attacked Klaus. Trust me Kol, the last thing I think of you as being is soft."

"So what do you think of me? That I'm handsome, charming, an utter delight?" Kol questioned.

"You think a lot of yourself don't you? And I'll tell you something now Kol, it's rather unbecoming women in this century really hate the arrogant jerk types, at times they may be appealing but it's just a silly thing." Scarlett idly said.

"So you do think I'm handsome and charming?" Kol questioned with a smirk on his face and Scarlett wasn't at a loss of how he got that. "You never answered my question, you just asked me a question so I'm assuming you did that because you didn't want to answer my question and that you do believe I'm handsome and charming."

Scarlett felt a huge blush creep up on her face and she had no idea where it came from and why she felt so embarrassed by what Kol said and she literally couldn't look at him out of fear that there was a small part of him that was right although Scarlett was convinced otherwise. She barely knew the guy. "N-No, that's no what I was trying to do and stop laughing it's not funny."

"I know but your reaction is though." Klaus quipped and thankfully for Scarlett it was at that precise time that they changed partners and Kol went on to dance with some other girl and Scarlett was with Finn. Thankfully as Scarlett had no idea what the hell was going on, it was like Kol knew her every trick and how to push her buttons and get a rise out of her not to mention get her to blush.

"You're the girl from last night," Finn stated and Scarlett nodded and as she did she managed to catch Kol's eye who chose to wink at her.

"Yes Scarlett Salvatore, your Finn right…" Scarlett said, it was weird as she was always a bit apprehensive when it came to any of the originals not because she was scared of them just because she couldn't trust them. But with them individually she felt different with Klaus she could have a joke with him literally, Elijah it was weird as he was the most moral of them and Scarlett felt like she could trust him to a certain degree or at least appeal to his morality. Then Rebekah it was nothing really, Scarlett just tried to stay out of her way because she was a volcano waiting to blow, with Kol she felt oddly relax but with Finn she felt like she had to be guarded and she didn't even know the guy.

"That Is correct." Finn replied.

"This is a spectacular party, your mother must be thrilled that so many people have turned up." Scarlett said in an effort to make conversation although she wished she hadn't bothered as Finn was looking at her as if she had two heads.

"Yes indeed."

The rest of the dance was in silence and eventually it was over to the relief of both Scarlett and Finn who both went their separate ways and where he went she really couldn't care less as Scarlett ran into her other best friend who saw her watching him and smiled a massive grin at her and Scarlett went over and hugged him. "Hey you, I feel like it's been forever since we last hung out."

"I know everything has been so crazy here." Matt said as he let go off Scarlett. "You look gorgeous tonight Scar, you really do…"

"Aww that's Matty, you look pretty damn handsome in your tux I'm glad that you decided to swallow your pride and wear it after all." Scarlett said.

"I still can't believe that you actually brought this for me, it must have cost you a fortune and I promise that I will pay you back ever cent no matter how long it takes me to." Matt said referring to how Scarlett dragged him to get a suit earlier in the day and paid for it despite Matt's numerous protests.

"I've told you already I'm not taking any money for the tux, it's a long term investment for me so just think of it as a gift from your future wife and this will be the last we will talk on the entire matter." Scarlett jokingly said as she nudged Matt gently in the ribs.

"Hey I'm going to go get a drink, you want anything that isn't alcoholic?" Matt questioned and Scarlett shook her head and as Matt walked off Scarlett wondered around the house some more until he got to the library and saw Stefan staring aimlessly out the window and Damon laying on the floor not moving.

"Damon?" Scarlett called out as she dropped to her knees and began shaking him but he still didn't respond in the slightest and she had no idea what to do. "Stefan? Something is wrong with Damon, I need you help!"

"No you don't." Stefan calmly said.

There was only one reason why Stefan would be like this and that was if he was the one who was responsible for this. "What did you do?" Scarlett snapped in a rather hush manner as to not attract anyone into the little scene she was standing in because that would be rather embarrassing not to mention a tad bit hard to explain.

"I broke his back, don't worry he'll be fine."

"You broke his back and your telling me to be fine, what the hell is wrong with you? I know you turned off the switch but bloody hell you are out of control Stefan!" Scarlett said.

"It's not like I wanted to do it but Elena needed to speak with Esther and Damon was never going to let that happen so I needed to get him out of the way for a while and this was the only thing I could think of, short of killing him and for the moment I'd rather like to resort from doing that." Stefan idly replied.

Shaking her head Scarlett got up and it seemed like it was just in time as Damon started to groan and seconds later his eyes opened and he looked around the room in confusion. "Easy Uncle Damon, don't want you to hurt yourself even more…" Scarlett began."

"She's right, we don't want you doing anything stupid." Stefan quipped and moments later Damon was up on his feet and going after Stefan.

"Where's Elena?

"Where do you think? Talking with Esther." Scarlett slowly said and Damon turned to look at her before turning his attention back to Stefan and he was clearly very pissed off about this entire thing and Scarlett just sighed. This was getting boring real quickly.

"What did you do?" Damon demanded.

"Ah, don't blame me…" Stefan began as he started to reveal the big plan. "This was all her right down to the broken neck. You know, maybe you should stop being such a controlling dick, Damon."

"Wait. Hang on. I'm the problem here?" Damon asked sceptically and Scarlett just bit her lip, she and Stefan knew the answer to that one but she wasn't going to be the one who told Damon the truth that he wasn't going to like hearing so that left Stefan.

"You're a liability, brother."

Damon shook his head. "I'm trying to keep her alive, Stefan."

"Yeah, well, your emotions are getting in the way of our plan." Stefan said in his annoyed your getting in my way and screwing up my plans tone of voice that he had been using ever so lately which annoyed Scarlett to the point of no ends bur she chose not to say anything.

"My emotions? How is this even happening right now?" Damon asked sceptically as before it was Stefan who used to be the emotional one and Damon was the one who didn't care about anything or anyone and it was funny how the rules could reverse in the space of a year

"Maybe because you care too damn much!" Stefan retorted and Scarlett chose to leave the two of them, as they clearly need a moment together so Scarlett left the library and headed back to the big grand hallway and she made her way towards Caroline and she really need to talk to someone sane but before she could someone grabbed her hand and pulled her away. "There you are gorgeous, I've been looking for you everywhere." Kol said.

"And you found me, congratulations sweet cheeks" Scarlett said in a dry tone of voice.

"What's the matter with you?"

Scarlett sighed as she looked at Kol, she couldn't be sure whether he was genuinely interested or not but at the moment she didn't care. "Nothing, it's just my family. They are literally driving me crazy and will probably sending me to an early grave.

"My brother put a dagger through my heart and left me in a coffin for a hundred years, if anyone should be complaining about their family then it's me." Kol quipped and it caused Scarlett to chuckle, if they were having a competition of who had the worst family then Kol would win hands down every time. Scarlett may have thought the Salvatore's were crazy but they did not compare to how mad the Original Family were. "There we go, knew I could make you laugh."

"Thank you." Scarlett said as a waited passed by them and Kol plucked to glasses of champagne from his plate and handed one to Scarlett and just in time as Mama Original stood on the staircase and the sound of crystal being rung echoed around the room.

"Good Evening, Ladies and Gentleman. Waiters are coming around with champagne. I invite you all to join me in raising a glass. It provides me with no greater joy then to see my family back together as one. I'd like to thank you all for being part of this spectacular evening. Cheers!" Esther said in a joyful manner as she raised her glass and everyone else did the same.

"Cheers!" Everyone else replied as they took a sip of their drinks but Scarlett just looked at hers awkwardly not sure what exactly to do with it as she wasn't allowed to drink.

"Why aren't you drinking?" Kol asked after he finished draining his own flute of champagne.

"I don't drink." Scarlett simply said as to avoid going into the specifics of why she didn't drink because it was long and complicated amongst many other things so she chose not to. She just gave the simplest explanation and worded it in a way that would avoid meriting further explanation

Kol gave Scarlett a bemused look as he took Scarlett's flute out of her hand. "That's a shame, I guess I'll have to drink yours for you."

"Be my guest." Scarlett said motioning for Kol to go right ahead and he did, polished the drink off before handing it to another waiter before turning his attention back to Scarlett and he just looked at her for the longest time and she couldn't figure out why. "You know I can't be compelled, I usually wear a locket filled with vervain and I've also been ingesting vervain every single day for the last nine years. So I'm sorry to disappoint you."

"Trust me gorgeous, you'd know if I was compelling you."

"Then what are you doing?" Scarlett questioned.

"Looking into your eyes."

"Why?" Scarlett questioned.

"Because you have the most hauntingly beautiful eyes I have ever seen and they were the first things I saw when I woke up. It's something I don't want to forget hence me looking into your eyes." Kol quipped before holding his hand out to Scarlett with that familiar smirk on his face.

"You want another dance?"

"Yes."

"What is this? Some big bad plan that you and your family have in store? Because whatever it is won't work because I'm not stupid Kol and just because I'm not as old as you and the rest of your family it doesn't mean I'll be taken for a fool." Scarlett stated.

"That's very reassuring to know and I'll remember that if there are every any plans of the sorts but right now I'd really like to dance with you again preferably without handing you off to my brother who isn't the most interesting company at the best of times." Kol said with a small chuckle and reluctantly Scarlett took his hand, she didn't trust him but having more dance with him wouldn't kill her. So the two of them headed back into the ballroom and to the centre of the room and began dancing until Kol started laughing.

"What is so funny now?" Scarlett demanded.

"Your leading." Kol pointed out and it took Scarlett a moment to realize that she was indeed and she started laughing and head to take a step back to pull herself together. Once she was ready Kol held out his hand and Scarlett took it and she took a deep breath as he pulled her close and then began to lead and she followed. As they danced Scarlett noticed that his eyes didn't leave her's once whereas hers did because she kept blushing every five minutes because he was look at her.

"You're a good dancer." Scarlett said, she needed to start making conversation as they had been dancing for about twenty minutes in a relatively comfortable silence but Scarlett couldn't go that long especially in a situation like this. She didn't like how Kol made her feel all funny and confused, how she didn't know what to do around him. When she was with other she felt in control most of the time but here she felt like she had no idea what she was going.

"Perks of being over a thousand years old, plenty of time to practice. Your not too bad yourself…" Kol joked.

"I think I learnt how to waltz before I could walk." Scarlett idly said in passing.

"You look really beautiful tonight, that dress really brings out the colour of your eyes." Kol said putting all jokes outside and Scarlett felt herself blushing, whilst she liked the compliment and had never received so many in her life it irritated her that Kol was capable of making her blush so easily.

"Funny that's what the sales advisor said to me when I went dress shopping although I suspect she was just saying that in order to get me to buy the dress." Scarlett said but it was obvious Kol had zoned. "Typical, you are just like every other man I know and here I was hoping that you'd be different because you were locked in a coffin for a hundred years and hadn't learnt all of the bad habits men have seemed to have picked up recently."

"I'm sorry, I just have to take care of something." Kol said as the top of them stopped dancing and he took Scarlett's hand and placed another kiss on her hand. "It's been a real pleasure Scarlett Salvatore."

Scarlett chose to say nothing and instead watched as Kol walked away before leaving to find Caroline, she wanted to go home curl up the couch in her pyjamas and watch a very bad and cheesy music and complain how bad life and men was because it was easier to do then admit that the odd sensation she had in the pit of her stomach which she had been willing to away for a good while now. As Scarlett made her way back to the grand hall she saw Stefan ran out outside the front door and sensing something was seriously wrong she followed him which was a good thing as when she got outside she saw Damon beating up Kol before finally getting bored and finally snapping Kol's neck. "Damon are you crazy?" Scarlett hissed as Elena along with the rest of the Mikaelson's came outside to see what had happened.

"Maybe a little. Far be it for me to cause a problem…" Damon said looking at Elena directly for the latter part of the statement before starting to walk off but then stopping to look at Scarlett. "Oh Red? You might want to go check on your boyfriend the quarterback, he's upstairs…"

Scarlett waited for Damon to start walking away before she turned her attention back towards the house and following his advice she made her way back into the house she saw Matt stumbling outside with a painstaking look on his face and clutching his hand. "Matt, what is it? What's wrong?" Scarlett asked as ran over to him.

"M-my hand…" Matt groaned and Scarlett looked to see that it didn't look right, like his knuckles had been popped out and judging by Matt's face it look bloody painful.

"What happened Matt?" Elena questioned.

"I don't know exactly but ask him when he wakes up." Matt said pointing his head in the direction of Kol.

"Kol, did this to you?" Scarlett demanded in a mixture of shock and anger as she repeatedly looked from Matt to Kol as she struggled to understand how this all happened but she knew Matt wouldn't lie about this. The guy she had spent all night dancing, talking and laughing with had just gone and attacked her best friend.

"–Wait? Kol did this to you?" Elijah questioned.

"Yeah, held out his hand to me for a handshake and then squeezed as hard as he could."

"Matty, where are your keys? I'm going to drive you to the hospital then I'll take you home." Scarlett began as she felt around Matt's pockets until she located his car keys in the inside pocket of his jacket and then she put her arm around his back and began to talk away. As far as Scarlett Salvatore was concerned after what he had done to Matt, Kol Mikaelson could go to hell.


	72. Chapter 72

"So let me get this straight Damon slept with Rebekah last night and Mama Original is currently concocting a plan to kill all of her children tonight with the help of Bonnie and her mom as last night she used your blood to link them all, so if one died they all die? What exactly is the problem Elena? The way I see it your bitching over nothing, Damon is a grown man who can do whatever he wants and maybe Rebekah was a bit of an inappropriate choice but it's done and dusted. And having a way to get all the originals dead and out our lives is something you of all people should be pleased up, so whatever stick is up your ass about both these things just yank the damn thing out and don't call me then I'm at work…" Scarlett said over the phone to Elena before ending the call and slipping her phone back into her apron and getting back to work as she had better things to do then listening to Elena whining all day.

"Hey Scarlett, what's with the bus box? I thought you were a waitress not a bus girl." Alaric questioned as Scarlett walked past him carrying a box full of dirty plates

"Ric! Your out of the hospital, I'm glad to see that your back on your feet and to answer you question I'm covering Matt's shift as Klaus' insane brother Kol decided to crush Matt's hand for no apparent reason last night so I'm playing busboy/waitress for today as I'm working Matt's shift for him and my own." Scarlett questioned.

"He okay, Matt I mean?" Alaric asked.

"Yeah I took him to the hospital and he got fixed up but I want him to take a couple of days for himself so I managed to convince him to let me take care of him for a change but what about you Ric, how are you doing?"

"Well someone tried to kill me and then Elena had to kill me so I'd come back and then I had spend the last day and a half being poked and prodded for every test under the sun by Dr. Fell but other than that I'm just peachy Scarlett." Ric said with a small chuckle.

Scarlett gave Ric a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "We'll find whoever is responsible for attacking you but right now I gotta get back to work and earn two livings but if you need anything at all Ric give me a yell and I'll be able to sort you out with a free lunch. I can do things like that because I'm such an awesome waitress."

"Thanks I may take you up on that." Ric replied and Scarlett nodded before walking away and heading to the kitchen with her box full of plates to be loaded into the dishwasher. Matt's job was certainly was glamorous as hers was but Scarlett didn't mind as it gave her something to do other than wait around and it kept her busy and forced her to concentrate on something else other than the Kol problem and all her other problems. After getting rid of the dirty dishes in her procession and having a talk with her manager Scarlett made her way back out of the kitchen Scarlett made her way back over to the bar where she saw Klaus and Kol the latter who was smiling at her.

"Hello gorgeous."

Scarlett rolled her eyes at the sight of Kol and Klaus, they were the last two people who she wanted to see and now they had strolled into the Grill and it wasn't like she couldn't leave as she was in the middle of a shift. "I don't want to talk to you Kol so go away because I'm at work."

"C'mon, put all that worthless stuff you have in your hands down and come and have a good time with my brother and I. Let someone else do the work because you too beautiful to be doing such trivial work." Kol said as he made his way over to Scarlett and tried to take her empty box away from her.

"Listen _sweet cheeks_, this is the 21st century I'm not Cinderella or Snow White I can do things for myself and women actually work Kol. This is what I do, I wait on people and take their orders and bring them food. That's what I do because I'm a waitress and I'm proud of it so if you'll excuse me I have some trivial work that I have to be doing…" Scarlett snapped as she pulled back her box back from Kol, she couldn't believe that he strolled into here where she worked and the nerve to insult her profession. Scarlett had no idea why had given him any "Then if you have to work then why don't you go behind the bar, that we can talk whilst you work and I drink?" Kol suggested.

"I can't work behind the bar because I'm underage, I'm only seventeen years old Kol and we have laws about that here, not to mention that I don't want to spend any time with you in the slightest so I'd rather go and wait on people who aren't psychotic bastards like Klaus and yourself." Scarlett angrily stated.

"Your mad with me for some reason." Kol noted.

"It might have something to do with something you did yesterday to Rebekah's date Kol." Klaus said and Scarlett just glared at him, she so didn't need him to get involved with this but apparent he thrived on conflict between people.

"The Jock? That's why your mad with me? Don't be gorgeous it was nothing."

"That jock whose hand you crushed last night happens to be my best friend. You attacked him for no good reason and the only plausible reason I can think of is because you were bored or just psychotic. What is wrong with you?" Seriously? What the hell is wrong with you and the rest of your family? You are such an asshole!" Scarlett hissed as she put down her bus box and cloth on a table and then walked over to Kol and began hitting his chest repeatedly before walking away. She had work to do and she was just going to pretend like he didn't exist in the slightest because it would make it easier for her in general. But Kol wasn't exactly making that easier for her as Scarlett could feel his eyes following her everywhere she went to the point where she went to the pantry to hide from his intense gaze.

Scarlett sighed as she paced around the pantry, she really needed to pull herself together on this one as she couldn't be attracted to Kol given what he had done to Matt not to mention that his mother was planning on killing him anyway. But she was, for god knows what reason she was somewhat attracted to Kol the little impulsive original vampire which was crazy because he was a vampire and whilst others may feel comfortable with things like that Scarlett didn't. Yet for when they had first met he kind of struck Scarlett and that was partly out of shock from when he scared her and then he had been a gentleman men all of yesterday until the Matt thing. Scarlett angrily shook her head, that was something about her that just drew crazy and unstable men into her life.

"Hiding from me?"

Scarlett turned around to see Kol standing there with a smug smirk on his face and she just sighed. "Kol just go away and leave me alone, I really don't want to see you at all and I'm kind of in the middle of my shift so I think you and Klaus should leave and go find some other place to raid their liquor supply."

"I'm sorry about your friend." Kol began.

"No your not, not even for a second and do you want to know how I know your full of shit? Because I am an expert in it, I am an expert in lying and bullshitting people with fake sincerity because I don't feel sympathy for most people and I don't care about a lot of people so you coming here and telling me that your sorry for hurting Matt means nothing to me as I know you don't mean it because 72% of the time I don't mean it myself. You can't pull wool over my eyes Kol, so stop trying to."

Kol quietly chuckled as he took a few steps closer to Scarlett. "Your right I'm not sorry for what I did."

"I knew that already Kol because whilst you may look like a Mini Elijah your personality screams Mini Klaus–" Scarlett began.

"You know your friend Matt wasn't the only one who was hurt last night, that crazy uncle of yours threw me off a balcony, attacked me before snapping my neck and I'll tell you something now, it's not pleasant. It actually hurts a lot so you should think about throwing some of that sympathy of yours my way." Kol stated taking another step towards Scarlett.

"You totally deserved that and if hadn't of been Damon who had attacked you then it probably would have been me and it wouldn't have been your neck, I would have put that dagger back into your chest because I don't like people messing with the people I care Kol. I don't like it at all so you should count yourself lucky that your still walking around." Scarlett retorted as she took a few steps back, Kol was getting a bit took close for her liking and she wanted Kol to know that she wasn't messing around in the slightest when it came to this whole Matt thing.

"Oh I don't doubt that in the slightest as my siblings have informed of how domineering and resourceful you can be when it comes to matters involving the supernatural however I think that your attraction to me–"

"Attraction? To a skinny little brat like you? Have you lost your damn mind? I think you've been in that coffin just a bit too long Kol that your head is all over the place!" Scarlett demanded interrupting Kol before he could finish what he was saying and denying it straight away although it was sort of a lie but she wouldn't tell Kol that, as he was literally her enemy not to mention it would no doubt make his inflated ego already bigger then it already was.

"Don't believe that for a second gorgeous, given that your heart is beating faster and your eyes are dilated and if I took your pulse it would probably be racing and that isn't including how you were towards me last night."

"It's called being polite and I'll have you know that the mind and the body are two separate entities Kol and you'd be wise not to confuse them both and jump to conclusions about what you believe I apparently feel towards you. Because you'll be sadly mistaken." Scarlett replied in a bored tone of voice because she really needed to play this whole thing off and act like nothing was going on.

"Is that so?" Kol questioned in amusement taking another step closer to Scarlett which caused her to take a step back but then her back hit a wall and there they were, standing exceedingly close together with nowhere for Scarlett to go and she looked at Kol who was gazing with those intense eyes of his before a wicked smile graced her face. If Kol wanted to do this then she would and she'd beat him at this.

Keeping her eyes locked on Kol's Scarlett moved her right hand forward ever so slightly and grabbed his left hand and placed on it on her chest, keeping her own hand over his own which was kind on her breast which she'd never normally put his hand anywhere near but she'd make an exception for this. "You feel that Kol? That's my heart beating and it's beating rather fast like you pointed out but here's the thing it's always like that. It's not because you think I'm attracted to you it's because I have this condition that caused my heart to beat faster then it should and sometimes it beats so fast that I can't breath and I sometimes pass out, sorry."

"You're lying." Kol stated.

"Afraid not, I have to carry medication on me at all times to help me manage it and you can even ask Klaus as he knows all about it. Sorry to burst your bubble Kol." Scarlett said as she removed Kol's hand from her chest before proceeding to duck down and walk under his arm and out of the pantry and heading back to work. Now that she had put Kol in his place things would be quite easier. And it was Scarlett got back to work whilst Kol rejoined Klaus in drinking away the grill's entire booze supply and for some reason Scarlett couldn't help but watch as she saw Caroline talk to the two of them and them proceed t rebuff Klaus' attempts at getting her to join them for a drink. The Mikaelson boys clearly did not have any luck in the world with women but shaking her head Scarlett focused on getting back to work. "Hey Alaric and Meredith, you need anything?"

"No we're good Scarlett." Ric replied.

"Thanks again for helping out last night with Matt under the radar Meredith, it means a lot." Scarlett said as it was Dr. Fell who had helped last night in an official but unofficially capacity as Matt needed medical attention but he had no health insurance but Dr. Fell helped regardless of that.

"Honestly it's no problem Scarlett, just happy to help." Meredith said with a small smile and Scarlett grinned, Damon may be convinced that she was a killer but Scarlett liked her as she seemed nice not to mention she was kind of cool with this whole supernatural thing and used vampire blood to heal sick people so it was enough to let the whole her drugging Damon and stealing his blood thing slide.

Leaving the newish couple to their business Scarlett walked around the grill looking for something to do until she saw a couple of glasses by the pool tables so she went over to get them and as she did Kol cornered her again. "Kol, what the hell do you want now? Can't you see that I'm trying to work?" Scarlett questioned.

"I want to talk to you." Kol quipped.

"Well I don't particularly want to talk to you any more so let me get back to my job because I'm not getting fired because your bored and need a new play toy so get lost." Scarlett snapped.

"And why would I do that? I like pretty little things with sharp tongues." Kol said walking towards Scarlett and placing a hand by the side of her face, which she quickly slapped away.

"I'm not playing around anymore Kol, leave me alone and stop looking at me like that." Scarlett said as Kol had been looking at her all day in a way she didn't really understand, it confused her a lot and whilst she could admit that he was handsome but this couldn't and wasn't going to happen. She really didn't need a dead guy who literally going to be killed for good in a few hours flirting with her as it would bring nothing good and the last thing Scarlett wanted to do was grow attached to Kol or worse develop real feeling to him.

"Like what? How a man would look at a beautiful woman?" Kol quietly said.

"Don't do this Kol, I have to get back to work." Scarlett warned but Kol made no attempt to move and Scarlett just sighed, at this point she was tempted to tell him the truth about his mother in order to get him to leave.

"I'm pretty sure she told you to get lost." Alaric said from behind Kol.

"I'm pretty sure I don't care." Kol replied looking at Scarlett before turning around to face Alaric who then stabbed him with the dagger and Kol's body began falling to the ground but Scarlett managed to catch him before he did.

"Next time, take a hint." Alaric replied before turning to Scarlett. "You okay?"

Scarlett nodded her head. "Yeah what's going?"

"Damon came up with a plan to stop Esther from channelling the power from the Bennett witches line without killing Bonnie or her mom and save Elena from being killed by Rebekah and this is it. If he's down then the rest of them should be too, Damon is outside waiting so I'm going to take Kol to him, you stay here and we'll call you and let you know what's going on." Alaric said and Scarlett nodded as she watched him take Kol's body out of the back door before sitting down and taking a sigh of relief, thankfully it was all over. Or so she thought.

A few hours later just as Scarlett was leaving the Grill she had received a call from Damon telling them that their plan had failed in a manner of speaking, Klaus along with Elijah had ambushed them and undaggered Kol putting a huge dent in their plans. As Elijah had threatened to let Rebekah kill Elena if they didn't help stop his mother so he did something to make sure Esther couldn't kill her children, he severed her connection to the other witches by turning Bonnie's mother into a vampire. Damon explained to Scarlett that if they had just killed her Esther still would have been able to channel the power from the Bennett line but turning Abby Bennett into a vampire severed Esther's connection as a witch couldn't be both a witch and a vampire, only one.

The news was a lot to take in as yet another parent had been hurt because of this whole supernatural thing and no doubt it was destroy Bonnie as she had already lost her grandmother to dealings with vampires and now her mom was becoming one. Scarlett made a mental note to call Bonnie in the morning to give her the being related to a vampire talk which she'd no doubt need. As Scarlett made her way over to her car she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being followed and from the corner of her eye she could see someone but she couldn't make out who. And she continued walking before turning around on her heels and she saw the last person who she expected to see.

"Kol?"

"Get inside now." Kol said pointing to Scarlett's with a dark look on his face no doubt pissed about everything that had happened given that the Original Children were all now aware of the fact that their mother was trying to kill them with help from their brother Finn. Nodding Scarlett did what she was told and climbed into her car without resistance because Kol was clearly in a bad mood and he was prone to lashing out and hurting people even when he wasn't mad. After she did Kol walked round the front of her car and climbed into the front passenger seat.

"Kol…" Scarlett began.

"Just drive." Kol snapped and Scarlett didn't need to be told twice and so she put her car key in the ignition and started her engine and began driving. Here she was in her car with a very pissed off original vampire who wouldn't hesitate to kill her. And Scarlett had to admit that she was pretty scared.


	73. Chapter 73

So sitting in her car with a vengeful not to mention a very pissed off vampire who just so happened to be an Original was not how Scarlett imagined her day going especially when it was Kol of all people. He had yet to say anything since Scarlett had started driving and that was close to forty minutes ago, he just stared forward with this angry look on his face and Scarlett had no idea what to do because anything could push him over the edge. So the two of them just sat there in silence and the only noise that could be heard was the ringing of Scarlett's phone that had been going off constantly but she hadn't tried to answer it in fear of Kol as he could kill her with even hesitating. He was mad, there was no doubt about that but Scarlett wasn't sure what he wanted as Kol never specified anything all he said was drive and that's what Scarlett was doing but she had no idea where she going. She was just driving in order to appease Kol.

"Stop the car." Kol finally said and at first Scarlett thought that it was just her imagination but then Kol turned to look at her and repeated himself and so she pulled over on to the side of the road. They were literally in the middle of an empty road surrounded by trees and woodland. It was the perfect place for him to kill her.

"Kol..." Scarlett began but he just ignored her in favor of climbing out of the car and knowing that this was a very bad idea Scarlett got out and followed him for reasons she really didn't know why. And she stood there and looked at him before Kol walked over and grabbed Scarlett's hand and began dragging her into the woods and she just stumbled behind as he pulled her along until eventually they stopped. After a few moments Kol finally let go of her arm and then proceeded to punch a tree which fell completely down. "Kol, your mad and you have every right to be..."

"Did you know about my mother? Did you know that she was going to try and kill me and the rest of my siblings tonight?" Kol demanded and Scarlett just looked down at the ground, she knew that this was what he was mad about and he had every right to be as his own mother wanted him dead. It made Scarlett's problems with her own mother pale in comparison, Clare may have abandoned her but mother would never contemplate killing her no matter how difficult Scarlett knew she could be.

"Yes i did know." Scarlett slowly admitted as she saw no point in lying about it and it would just make things ten times worse then they already were so being honest was the only way to go.

"I figured and you were no doubt involved in that little stunt to re-dagger me, revenge for hurting your little jock friend ..." Kol spat in disgust.

"You know what Kol? I was pissed and i still am about what you did to Matt but i wasn't involved in any of this. I didn't know that you were going to be daggered until after it happened and i wasn't the one who stabbed you with the dagger. i haven't be involved with any of this much to your disappointment, i wasn't behind either any of the attacks against you and i'm not involved with what your mother has planned."

"Let's talk about that, when did you find out my mother's plan? Last night at the ball? Were you dancing with me knowing full what my mother had in store for her children, that she was going to kill us tonight and would have succeeded if it not for the spirits abandoning her?" Kol demanded.

"I had no idea what your mother had planned last night, i found out not long before you and Klaus came into the grill. I got a call telling me that last night your mother linked you and the rest of your siblings together and that if one of you died then you'd all die. That's all i knew at the time and then later on i found out that Esther was planning on kill you all tonight and that Elijah threatened to kill Elena if Damon and Stefan didn't figure out a way to stop her and they did Kol."

"That won't stop her, my mother wants us dead and she won't stop until she finally succeeds..." Kol angrily states shaking his head before proceeding to kick a rock in front of him. "My mother wants to kill me! She has been plotting to kill me and my siblings for god knows how long and Finn is helping her, my own brother is helping my mother with her sick and twisted plans! Kind of obvious as Finn has always been the favorite, you know what my mother told me? 'Be quiet Kol, your brother knows virtue you can not even imagine' my own mother…"

"Okay so your mom is a bitch, i get it Kol i really do!"

There was the tiniest of smirks in the corner of Kol's mouth before he shook his head. "You know nothing."

"Really? My mom walked out on me and my dad fourteen years ago because she couldn't deal with the fact that we were related to vampires, one day she just got up and left and i saw her for the first time last year. i see her more often now but i'm still angry with her for what she did because she was supposed to me mom, she was supposed to walk out on me. Just like my dad, he killed himself when i was eight years and like my mom he abandoned me. So i get it Kol, i get how parents suck and you deserved better–" Scarlett began.

"Your mother walked out on you, she is not trying to kill you Scarlett whereas mine is! Esther said her only regret was that she not let us all die a thousand years ago, called us a curse upon this earth when it was her who made us all like this in the first place! You know nothing about how feel!" Kol yelled and then proceeded to just lose it and start destroying everything in his path, Kol was having a full blown meltdown and all Scarlett could really do was watch as he tried to deal with all the events of today. His mother had attempted to kill him, that was going to have some profound effects on him mentally and emotionally.

"Kol stop it... Kol, Kol you're starting to scare me now..." Scarlett slowly said as she watched as Kol destroyed trees with a single blow or lift them up by tier roots and toss them as they were nothing, rocks were being thrown all of the place and she was worried. Not just for herself but for Kol as things were getting slightly out of control and she had to take a couple of steps back in order to avoid being hit but things just kept spiraling out on control and it was like Scarlett could do nothing to get through to Kol. But then she got a bit preoccupied when she saw this huge and thick tree branch heading towards her and Scarlett didn't realize that she had opened her mouth to scream as before she could even blink Kol came running towards her and took the impact instead but the two of them were sent flying back a good couple of yards. After a moment Scarlett opened her eyes to see that she wasn't dead and that Kol was laying on top of her.

"You okay?" Kol asked and Scarlett just nodded, she seemed okay for the most part but it wasn't her who she was worried, it was him that she was more concerned with.

"What about you?" Scarlett quietly said and Kol said nothing instead he got up.

"Your leg." Kol said pointing at Scarlett's leg and she looked down to see that there was indeed a cut on her leg and blood was dripping down, she hadn't even realized that she had cut it let alone that it was bleeding until Kol pointed it out. She must have been too distracted.

"Oh yeah." Scarlett quietly said, wearily looking at Kol as he came back towards her and bent down on the ground next to her. She had been worried about him bringing her into the woods to kill her and now she was worrying that her bleeding leg was going to make him want to drink her blood. But Scarlett was surprised as Kol paid no attention to her bleeding leg and instead scooped her up and began walking back in the direction that they had originally came from. "Kol you don't have to do this, honestly i'm fine and fully capable of walking..."

Kol said nothing and just carried Scarlett back to the main and only road there was and where they had left her car, when they got there he popped her down on the hood of her car and just looked at her. "I'm sorry about your leg."

"It was an accident, i know you didn't mean to hurt me Kol but you can do me a favor and grab my bag from in the car." Scarlett said with a small smile and Kol nodding his head and walked over to the drivers side of Scarlett's car and returned moments later with her bag. Taking it off him Scarlett pulled out a small first aid kit from her bag and disinfected her cut before placing a hello kitty plaster on her leg. "This isn't the first time i've been injured because of a vampire, a few months back i was kidnapped and beaten up by a vampire so a little cut on my leg is nothing."

"I'm sorry, i mean it Scarlett." Kol quietly said as he looked down.

"I know you are and i'm sorry about today, the three days since we've meet have been kind of intense and i'm sorry about your mom, it's despicable what she's doing, you deserve better..." Scarlett smiled as she used a finger to tilt Kol's chin up to make him look at her, she knew he was being sincere about hurting her. It was weird how she felt about Kol, she couldn't trust him because of what he was and who he was related to but there was something about him that she liked and could trust to a certain extent.

"You are something else entirely, you do know that right?" Kol questioned and Scarlett laughed.

"I'm no ordinary girl sweet cheeks." Scarlett quipped using the nickname that she had used on Kol and that had stuck. They had know each other three days and already they had nicknamed each other sweet cheeks and gorgeous.

"Of course not, your more along the lines of being extraordinary gorgeous." Kol quietly murmured as Scarlett couldn't help but laugh at the compliment, Kol was going to give her an ego if he kept coming out with things like that but then he placed a hand at the side of her face and she stopped laughing. Scarlett bit her lip ever so lightly because she was pretty certain what was going to happen next and she knew that it shouldn't happen, as it would only get her into trouble but at the same time she wanted it to happen. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"I know." Scarlett said in a small voice, she believed Kol when she knew that she really shouldn't but she just couldn't help herself as Kol leaned in and his nose brushed against hers and then their lips met in a tender kiss that was both chaste and sensual but very much sweet like a kiss between lovers who were very much comfortable with each other. It was so simple yet very powerful and they held onto the moment for as long as possible until the they finally broke aaprt and Scarlett saw that Kol had a wide grin on his face no doubt matching the one she had on her face.

"You said you weren't attracted to me, you little liar..." Kol teased and it caused Scarlett to laugh.

"Need i remind you Mr. Mikaelson that you were the one who kissed me so i believe that speaks volumes as to how much your attracted to me as you seem to be incapable of not telling me how beautiful you fine me." Scarlett quipped, she had all these butterflies in the pit of her stomach which was turning her into a silly little school girl so she had to remind herself not to go over her head because of one kiss. Even if it was with Kol.

"And once again you avoid answering my question because you know i'm right Miss Salvatore." Kol replied with an arrogant smirk plastered all over his face before letting out a small sigh. Something was wrong and Scarlett could tell by the look he had in his eyes and she was pretty certain that it had something to do with his current family dramas.

"What's wrong sweet cheeks? Realizing that your falling in love with me?"

Kol smirked at the joke. "As if gorgeous, i've decided to leave town for all a while because of this silly thing with mother. I'm going to put you back in your car and then go my own way and figure out this strange new world that i've been missing out on.

"Where will you go?" Scarlett questioned.

"Away, afraid you'll miss me?"

"Don't be so arrogant." Scarlett scoffed in response as she playfully hit Kol's chest, she understood why Kol was leaving and to be honest she'd probably do the same if she had found out her mother was on a bit of a crusade to kill him. Then she also got the whole trying to see how the world had changed given how he had been in a coffin during the most technological advancement century. He needed to discover things like the toaster waffle and google.

"I'll take that as a yes." Kol quipped as he picked Scarlett up off the hood of her car and placed her gently back onto the ground and escorted her back to the driver's side of her car. "Don't worry gorgeous, i won't forget you."

"Like you could ever!" Scarlett snorted.

"Funny girl."

"Don't do anything i wouldn't do and that leaves more than you'd actually think." Scarlett said and she was rewarded with the most obscene and ridiculous goodbye that she had ever received followed by another kiss or rather a goodbye kiss although Kol vaguely said that he wouldn't exactly call it goodbye. Scarlett wasn't stupid, she knew this wasn't going to end well but she honestly could care as there was always something weird and dire going on here so whatever was going on between her and Kol wouldn't exactly be an apocalypse but then again Scarlett did live in Mystic Falls...


	74. Chapter 74

When Scarlett arrived back at the boarding house twenty five minutes later she had to take a few minutes to collect herself before she finally gained the courage. These last couple of days had been crazier than usual with the arrival of the rest of the original family, with them attacking Klaus then playing happy family at the ball and then the whole plot about Esther wanting to kill her children coming out. Then today happened and it wasn't exactly how Scarlett thought her day would go when she woke up this morning, she imagined going to work and serving people then going home and hanging out with Matt. But things didn't go that was and there was one person who was responsible for that; Kol.

The insane vampire who wormed his way under her skin in the pace of three days and some how managed to get through all her walls and Scarlett had no idea how he did it to the girl who took no bullshit from anyone, with balls of steel that were the size of texas, she feared no vampire but yet she allowed a vampire and a original vampire no less kiss her. She couldn't trust Kol and she certainly could not fall in love with him although that wasn't a problem as after her mother leaving and her parents subsequent divorce Scarlett didn't believe in love or rather romance. The only love she believed in was the love she had for the people closest to her like her family, Matt and Caroline.

Scarlett had completely fucked up in more ways than one given that she had kissed the vampire who had crushed her best friends hand. Was not one of her finer moments not to mention t it was kind of hard to pretend like she wasn't attracted to Kol, he knew it and so did she. But it was fine now as Kol was gone for the foreseeable future so that was good, it allowed Scarlett to forget about him and pull herself back together so taking a deep breath she walked into the living room where Damon was standing by the fire place and drinking no doubt a glass of his favourite bourbon. "Hey, I'm back…"

Damon slowly turned around. "And where the hell have you been Red? I called your phone several times and you just ignored every single one of my calls…"

"Has something else happened?" Scarlett questioned as she walked further into the living room, after everything that had happened today she was pretty sure her heart couldn't take it if something else had happened tonight but then again Scarlett was surprised that her heart hadn't given her any trouble today given everything that had gone on today especially when Kol was having that mini breakdown of his. Good thing nothing hadn't happened as Scarlett didn't have her medication on her during that entire time.

"No but it could have and you'd never find out because you didn't answer your phone and back to my original question. Where the hell were you Red?" Damon demanded.

"Work, we're kind of short handed at the moment so I had to stay longer to cover the diner shift and then after we closed for the night I got roped into helping to cleaning up but I am getting paid my overtime rate for it." Scarlett said stretching the truth quite a bit.

"You seem different, something has changed since earlier." Damon said after a few moments and it kind of knocked Scarlett for as there was no way that Damon could have any possible idea that she kissed Kol. It was impossible but then again this was Damon and he was observant then he let on but it wasn't like Scarlett had a sign on her head that was letting the entire world know what had happened.

"Nope I don't think so, same little ole' niece of yours that I've always been." Scarlett said with a bright smile before yelling at herself internally, if it hadn't been obvious something was up then she was making it more apparent with behaving so odd with smiling and saying stupid things like 'your little ole' niece' and Scarlett blamed Kol for this, the guy had clearly messed with her head so much that she was sprouting off nonsense.

"Your acting weird, have you been drinking Red?" Damon questioned as he took a couple of steps away from the fireplace before stopping in his step and looking at Scarlett with an odd look on his face. "What's with the hello kitty band aid?"

Scarlett looked down at her leg and observed the bright pink plaster adorned with kitten's heads on it and smiled briefly. "I took my pills on an empty stomach, that along with the hello kitty band aid on my leg is making me act as if I've lost my fricking mind. I just need to get some sleepy, change this plaster and I'll be back to being your favourite bitchy niece first thing in the morning."

"No kidding but you are okay, right?" Damon questioned pointing to Scarlett's plaster.

"Yeah I'm fine, I wasn't looking where I was going during my shift and things were hectic and one of my customers dropped his knife and things got bloody but it's fine really Uncle Damon, no big deal. Just a hazard of the job." Scarlett said with a small smile there was no way on this green earth that she could tell Damon how she really injured her leg because she didn't exactly recall how it happened. Along with that she couldn't tell Damon about this thing with Kol as his head would literally explode with anger although it would be rather hypocritical of him as he had just slept with Rebekah but Scarlett really didn't want to go down that lane or even think about it as it was rather messy not to mention creepy. So what's going on Bonnie and her mom, where are they?"

"Vampire Barbie is taking care of them, figured I'd let her do the talking on this one as I doubt Bonnie or Mama Bennett will be too happy to see me given what I did to tonight." Damon said and he actually sounded like he felt bad for what he had done.

"You did the right thing Uncle Damon, despite you turning Bonnie's mom against her will you did what you had to do and Bonnie still had her mom. I think she'd rather have her mom still in her life albeit as a vampire then not have her mom at all." Scarlett said making her way over to Damon and placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"You really think so?"

"Esther should not be allowed to channel all that power and kill her kids, it's not right despite what we feel about them all." Scarlett quietly said.

"What we feel about them? What the hell is that supposed to mean Red?" Damon questioned and Scarlett felt her cheeks heat up, she had to be really careful with what she said next because if she gave anything away in the slightest then Damon would pick up on it.

"Well you slept with Rebekah and it's not exactly a hidden secret that I'm on amicable and rather friendly terms with both Elijah and Klaus. I'm just saying that despite everything that has gone on it's wrong that their mother wants to kill them." Scarlett said conveniently leaving out Kol as she didn't want to draw any attention to herself.

"I'll remind you that your very ancient Grandpa Giuseppe, my father shot and killed Stefan and I in cold blood in the back and you don't see either of us crying about it. My dad did it himself whereas Mama Original was using power that didn't belong to her so they'll get over it or better yet they'll do a Stefan and kill her." Damon idly noted.

"True."

"You should go upstairs and get some rest Red, you look exhausted." Damon stated.

"What about you Uncle Damon?" Scarlett questioned as he looked just as tired as she supposedly did and he had done so much more then her today so if anyone needed a rest then it was him. With the whole trying to save Elena and stooping Esther whilst tiring to neutralize one of the originals it had been a tiring day for him.

"I'm going to hang around down here a little longer." Damon replied before being pleasantly surprised when Scarlett hugged him as she and him rarely hugged as they were more talkers then huggers. The only time they hugged was when they had survived a really close call and today hadn't been one of those days.

"Night Uncle Damon." Scarlett said as she let go of him and began to make her way towards the staircase.

"Red wait up!" Damon called out and Scarlett stopped where she was and turned back to face him with a surprised look on her face. "I just thought you should know he's coming back, Stefan I mean. He's well on his way to becoming the old St. Stefan that we all pretend we don't love so you might want to tell him you love him or something, might help him come back quicker if he didn't think that you wanted his head mounted to your wall Red.

Scarlett wearily laughed, that was the best news that she had heard in a long time. "I will… I love you Uncle Damon, you know that right?"

"I said tell Stefan that not me kiddo! And yeah I know you do, just don't expect me to say it back but you know I don't hate you too… Whatever now go to bed Red and leave me alone." Damon offhandedly said as he nursed his drink.

"Sure, whatever you say…" Scarlett said as she continued to walk up the stairs and as reached the top she had to take a deep breath and wipe away the tears stinging at the corner of her eyes. Sure Scarlett had lied to Damon a few times before and he never knew it because he knew that she wasn't one for lying as she much preferred the truth as did her. However she had never felt so bad about it before in her entire life until now, that is…


	75. Chapter 75

_So expect a nice long chapter sometime tomorrow but for now you have this chapter and you'll see Scarlett reach out to Stefan and the two of them will start taking the slow and steady steps to try and fix their relationship. Then there is a surprise later on and it leads on to something very bizarre and interesting that happens in the next chapter..._

* * *

The next morning Scarlett woke up feeling very bad not to mention very guilty which wasn't too surprising to her given what she was feeling guilty about. She had lied to Damon and last year that wouldn't have been a problem as this time last year they were doing their friendly antagonizing thing as Scarlett was very weary of him for good reasons as she would later discover but over the last year they had grown very close, in fact there wasn't anything that Scarlett didn't feel uncomfortable taking to him about. The two of them confided in each other because they knew the other wouldn't judge - well certain things they would but they wouldn't be very judgmental but this Kol thing was the one and only thing that Scarlett could not tell Damon about as he would kill her literally.

Not to mention try and kill Kol which would probably end up with him being killed and Scarlett didn't want that, so she'd keep quiet for everyone's sake as she knew whatever this thing with Kol was wasn't going to work out as he was a vampire and she was a human girl and Scarlett had no intention of becoming a vampire and that was up top of the problems that her family and his family had with each other. Feeling glum even after she had gotten dressed and had breakfast Scarlett wondered aimlessly around the house until she arrived at Stefan's room and she saw that he was in there at his desk writing in his journal and remembering what Damon had said about Stefan slowing regaining his way she figured having a conversation would be okay not to mention Stefan was always good for giving great advice so he might be able to help although she wouldn't go into specifics. So taking a deep breath Scarlett knocked on the door frame. "Can i come in?" She wearily questioned.

"It's your house, you can go wherever you want Scarlett." Stefan said and ever so slowly Scarlett walked in to the room and saw that Lucrezia was naturally curled up by on Stefan's desk and Violetta was sitting on his bed, even after he had gone down the path of the dark ripper Stefan was still the cat whisper, beloved by both of Scarlett's pet and could do nothing wrong in their eyes. Deciding that she needed to sit down Scarlett made her way over to Stefan's bed and sat on the edge of it, picking up Violetta and nestling her in her lap.

"Can i ask you something?" Scarlett questioned.

"Go ahead." Stefan replied as he put his diary down on the small table beside him.

"This may sound stupid but how did you ever cope with the guilt? We both know you've done things that your not too proud of and yet you've managed to live with it for the most part except for that one time you tried to kill yourself but you overcame that. I'm asking because i did something, well two things and it's not the worst thing i've ever done but i feel pretty damn guilty about it and i need some advice on how to deal with it and please don't say do a me and turn off my humanity because we both know that's one trick i can't pull off." Scarlett said, specifically not going into details about what exactly she felt guilty for i.e. kissing Kol and her subsequent feelings for him and lying to Damon about it all but her little joke at the end caused Stefan to smile.

"It never left me Scarlett it was there weighing on my shoulders every single day, reminding me of what i had done and the people i hurt. I wrote it all down, well as much as i could remember to remind me of my sins and motivate me not to make the same mistakes that i already had and most importantly remind me of my humanity and what it meant to feel." Stefan wearily said and Scarlett sighed, as touching as that was it didn't exactly help as based on what Stefan had said she was going to feel guilty about this for a long time and there was no way Scarlett was writing everything down because she knew Damon would snoop as he read Stefan's numerous amount of diaries on a daily basis for kicks. So putting her guilt onto paper was not the way to go and as she wondered what on earth she was going to do. "What did you do to make you feel so guilty Scarlett?"

Scarlett bit her lip. "Something bad."

"How bad?" Stefan questioned.

"Pretty bad." Scarlett wearily replied with a sigh, this whole guilt thing was seriously getting to her and she felt as if she had aged five years over night because of it as it was eating her up constantly which was annoying, she knew the only way to resolve the guilt and make herself feel better was to come clean but that was not an option for her, Scarlett had to find a way to deal with this rather quickly as evetually it was going to become apparent that something was up with her and Damon not to mention Matt would be the first ones to pick up on it.

"Tell me what you did and i can try and fix it." Stefan began.

Scarlett shook her head. "I can't tell you Uncle Stefan because if i do you will kill me and i'm not just saying that, you will actually kill me and i already have the bad heart threatening to kill me so i'd rather not add an angry and very pissed off vampire uncle to that list if i'm honest. So let's drop it now, okay? We'll talk about something else like Abby Bennett is going to complete her transition, Bonnie is with her along with Caroline whose taking care of it all in regards of helping her learn control and teach her vampire 101. Then Ric is currently locked up in a police cell because Dr. Fell shot him for some reason last night and now the Sheriff thinks he's responsible for the two council member murders and his own attempted murder which just crazy as this Ric, we're talking about."

"Scarlett..."

"Look please just do me this favor and drop it, please? And don't tell Damon anything because he'll start wigging up and things will get messy not to mention complicated and someone will get hurt and that is the last thing i want to happen so please do me this one thing." Scarlett pleased and Stefan reluctantly nodded before closing his eyes and repeatedly hitting his table lightly with his hand as not to break it but his ring did make a loud knocking sound against the table. He was clearly trying to do something to calm himself some down and it took Scarlett a moment to realize this may be his way of trying to deal with his blood cravings as he was according to Damon weaning himself off the human blood cold turkey style. As Scarlett stood and watched him, Damon appeared into the room after a few minutes.

"Dear diary, a chipmunk asked me my name today. I told him it was Joe. That lie will haunt me forever." Damon began.

"What do you want?" Stefan questioned as he got up from behind his desk and put his diary back on the shelf.

"I was hoping we could hang out, you know a little quality family bonding time as we haven't done that in a while, well actually i know that the three of us don't exactly hang out together unless it's the Thanksgiving or Christmas otherwise we team up, we join forced and Red does her bad ass thing whilst we activate our wonder twin powers." Damon said as she held up his ring to Stefan in reference to the ring comment before proceeding to rifle through Stefan's bookshelves.

"What are you doing?" Stefan questioned.

"Digging up clues. Most of the originals are gone, but now e have a who done it in town. Do you remember when we came back for Zachariah's funeral?" Damon questioned and it piped Scarlett's interest as she knew kind of what Damon was talking about as Zachariah Salvatore was her ancestor and Zach's partial namesake but he was also Damon and Stefan's nephew as his father was their half brother and the reason why Scarlett was here because if it wasn't for him continuing the Salvatore line would have died out and she would have never been born. Zachariah had died in 1912 and both Stefan and Damon returned to Mystic Falls to attend the funeral, Scarlett was aware of this because of the family journals but she was curious as to why Damon was randomly bringing him up.

Stefan frowned slightly. "Vaguely, why?"

"If memory serves, he wasn't the first founders council member killed that year or even that month–" Damon began.

"I remember that! Well i remember reading about it, Zachariah wasn't the only member from the founding families to be killed him along with a Fell, a Lockwood and a Forbes. From what i recall no one from the founding families were safe back them." Scarlett said as she her phone started buzzing in her pocket but she chose to ignore it for now as she wanted to see what Damon was up to at the moment. "But what's the point to all of that? And why bring it up? What has it got to do with anything that's going on right now?"

"Other than the fact it shows that you know your history of this town, I'm trying to remember what year it was." Damon offhandedly replied.

"1912." Stefan stated.

"So much for vaguely. 1912. Or as i like to call it, last time Mystic falls had a serial killer on it's hand."" Damon replied as he grabbed one of the diaries on the shelf and tossed it over to Stefan who caught it effortlessly.

"Mystic Falls had a serial killer who wasn't you? Amazing and here i thought you were the one always behind all the mysterious deaths that were covered up as animal attacks in the good old days!" Scarlett idly said as she dug out her phone from her back pocket and saw that she had received a text from a number she didn't recognize. _Meet me at Wickery Bridge, it's urgent - Matt. _Seeing the urgency in the message Scarlett got up off Stefan's bed and handed Violetta over to Damon. "I got to run, tell me the rest later? You know how much i love bonding over our family's bloody and dysfunctional history."

"Sure thing Red" Damon said and Scarlett rewarded him with a smile before making her way out of Stefan's room, heading down the stairs and towards the front of her house where she parked her car last night and climbing into it Scarlett drove over to wickery bridge which took less than five minutes as it more or less round the corner from the boarding house. When she arrived there Scarlett parked her car just before the start of the bridge and climbed out her car and she couldn't see Matt anywhere which was odd as he asked her to meet her here of all placed.

"Hello gorgeous!" Scarlett literally jumped out of her skin and her heart barely stayed in her chest at the sound of _that _voice and slowly turning around she saw that it was indeed Kol who was standing there looking quite smug with himself given that he had managed to succeed in scaring her for the third time since that had met which was only four days ago which Scarlett found hard to believe given everything that had happened between them in all that time. "I know you were expecting Matt but i knew it was the only way to get you to meet me..."

Scarlett felt incredibly stupid in this moment, the so called text she had received from Matt had actually been from Kol hence why there was no caller id just a number which she didn't recognize. She would begrudgingly admit that he managed to get her good but a better question was show he managed to her number to contact her in the first place. "How did you get my number?" Scarlett questioned.

"I'd rather not say."

"Okay then answer me this, what the hell are you doing here? I thought you left town!" Scarlett demanded as she was glad to see Kol in a small way but then again she wasn't happy to see him as she needed to stay away from him in order to not get into anymore trouble then she was already in and him showing up her wasn't helping in the slightest.

"I did."

"Where did you go?" Scarlett questioned as she figured if Kol was in a rather chatty mood today then he may just reveal where he went and what him and the rest of his family are up to because there was no way the originals were just going to go away quietly especially Esther who clearly wasn't going to give up on trying to kill her children. But on that subject Kol seemed to be in a far better mood then he was yesterday evening.

Kol smiled and Scarlett felt an odd sensation in her stomach which she tried her best to ignore. "Can't tell you i'm afraid but i can tell you why i'm here."

"Oh really? And why's that?" Scarlett questioned in a rather sarcastic manner.

"i just came back for a few hours to see you." Kol stated as he went into his pocket and pulled something out and held it out towards Scarlett. "As I figured you may want your locket back."

"How did you get my locket?" Scarlett demanded in shock as placed her hand to neck for locket and felt that it wasn't there as Kol was indeed holding it, the locket that Damon had given to her for her first birthday. She had no idea how Kol had got it especially without her realizing it because she never took it off except for when she was getting into the shower or going swimming other than that, the locked was always around her neck. And yet he somehow gotten a hold of it.

"I acquired it during out little excursion in the woods last night." Kol quipped.

"You stole it!" Scarlett stated as she attempted to take the necklace back but Kol just took a step back.

"No i didn't, i said that i had acquired it last night after i saved you life and i figured that i should return it's beautiful owner as she'd clearly be wanting it back, for a price..." Kol said and the moment he said a price Scarlett got a very bad feeling in the pit of her stomach, she didn't like the sound of that.

"What do you want?" Scarlett wearily said.

"I want a kiss."

"No, not going to happen." Scarlett automatically said, kissing Kol the first time had been a huge mistake but a nice one however it could not happen again, Scarlett would not let it happen again.

"Then i'd forget about getting your locket back and it is a marvelous piece of jewelry and i wouldn't mind keeping a hold of it if you've decided that you no longer wanted, so what do you say gorgeous? Do i get my kiss? Because that last kiss was rather impressive if i do say so myself and i do." Kol questioned and Scarlett slowly nodded as she took a few steps forward and closed the gap between her and Kol before proceeding to place a kiss on his cheek and then snatching her locket off him.

"There's your kiss." Scarlett said giving Kol a smug smirk before turning around and walking away from him feeling awfully clever with herself until Kol suddenly appeared in front of her with an amused look on his face.

"That's cheating."

Scarlett shook her head, she expected a reaction like that and as Kol stood in front of her, she ran two of her fingers up his chest. "No it's not Kol, you said you wanted a kiss and a kiss is what you got. It's not my fault you never specified what kind of kiss you wanted and where you wanted it so i figured that it was at my discretion."

"I underestimated you." Kol stated.

"Yet another one of your many mistakes sweetcheeks." Scarlett retorted, she was one of those people who had a problem with being told what do and she tended to take liberties with it especially when the instructions she was given were open to interpretation. Kol had himself to blame for this.

"Yet another one of your many mistakes sweetcheeks." Scarlett retorted, she was one of those people who had a problem with being told what do and she tended to take liberties with it especially when the instructions she was given were open to interpretation. Kol had himself to blame for this.

"One i won't be making again, i assure you gorgeous because now we're going to play a little game and now i'm prepared to deal with the complex and intriguing creature that is yourself..."


	76. Chapter 76

_Sorry this chapter came later then i promised and is shorter than i intended but it's late, my back hurts and i just want to crawl into bed and sleep for about seven or eight hours. So that along life has kind of gotten in the way and speaking of that, i started back at uni this week so there is no way i'm going to be able to update everyday so i'm going to try and post two/four chapters over this weekend and then i'll try my best to update three times a week but sometimes it may be less than that but i promise i will have at least a new chapter once week. Anyway back to the story and i've decided to give you a little spoiler, i'm not too sure if Kol will make an appearance in the next chapter as i need to plan that out. _

_But what i can tell you is that Scarlett will be going to Denver and Damon will find out about her and Kol which will be pretty explosive/dramatic and most of you can imagine what Damon's reaction will be like - hint, it's not going to be pretty and definitely not quiet in the slightest and there will no doubt with some heavy damage to his and Scarlett's relationship which comes just in time for the one year anniversary of Zach's death. So expect heavy fallout and major problems/issues on the Damon and Scarlett front and it will be pretty bad so brace yourselves! _

_Then there will also be a pretty heated argument between Scarlett and Kol which will be very intense but Scarlett will get support/shoulder to cry on from something very close to her. Not to mention Scarlett will confront Elena properly about the whole Stefan/Damon love triangle, enjoy xx  
_

* * *

"A game?" Scarlett asked in bewilderment as stared at Kol in confusion, he actually wanted to play a game of all things? Here of all places? Scarlett wasn't sure what he was up but whatever it was couldn't possibly be any good as this was Kol and in the short amount of time that she had known him, she had learnt that he was very unpredictable so idea of a game was probably going to be something that Scarlett didn't like. Not to mention he was a vampire and she had seen what several of them liked to do for fun and Scarlett wasn't exactly into it.

"Yes a game, you do know what one is?" Kol questioned, which caused Scarlett to roll eyes in mild amusement. Although Kol could be condescending at times, he was nowhere near as good as she was at it.

"Of course I do! " Scarlett stated as it was perhaps the most dumbest question that she had ever heard in her life because seriously who didn't know what a game was? Although that wasn't the most important this, what really mattered here was what Kol meant by a game because a game to him could be jumping of Wickery Bridge into the water, which Scarlett wasn't really up given that it was late September and she wasn't in the mood for a swim. "What kind of game do you have in mind?"

"It's simple really, ever heard of a game called and dare?" Kol questioned.

"Vaguely."

Kol quietly chuckled. "Of course you have but we're not playing that, I'm going to make several observations about you and if I'm wrong you get to take a step right but if I'm right then you take a step towards me and once or rather when you reach me, you have to kiss me and just so we both understand, I mean a kiss like the one from the other night and not that kiss on the cheek nonsense you just tried with me. But if you get far enough back, you can leave and I won't stop you."

"What if I don't want to pay this game of yours?" Scarlett questioned as it was frankly rather bizarre but then again things could have gone a lot more worse however that was debatable given the situation that Scarlett was currently in at the moment.

"No really an option love."

Scarlett lifted on her brows suspiciously. "Really? So what's to stop me from walking back over to my car, climbing into it and driving off? There's nothing keeping me here anymore as I have my locket back and that's the only thing that's really important here as present company is less than desirable…"

"You could but you won't, if you wanted to leave then you would have done so already or attempted to do so and yet you haven't, which tells me that you want to play my little game but nice try gorgeous." Kol quipped.

"And why exactly is the point of this absurd game of yours?"

"To know what goes on in that pretty little head of yours. Now let's begin, first observations… you are very beautiful." Kol replied playfully teasing before walking back a couple of yards and Scarlett wasn't sure whether or not to roll her eyes at Kol's absurd behaviour or laugh but instead she chose to take a step back. "Really, you think I'm wrong?"

"Yep and that you need your eyes testing." Scarlett said with a small shrug of her shoulders.

"Okay next one, your not like everyone else in this town, you're an outcast and that doesn't bother you in the slightest as you don't care about what other people think about you." Kol said and Scarlett took a step forward. "I think you're not as mean scary as you make yourself out to be."

"I'm worse actually." Scarlett quipped as she took one step back.

"You're attracted to me."

"I thought we established that already." Scarlett begrudgingly said as she took a step forward, at the moment she was making not that much progress as for every step she took back Kol would make a statement which caused her to take a step forward. They were going to be here all day by the looks of it.

"We did but I just like being constantly made aware of the fact, the big bad human girl is attracted to the big bad vampires. Kind of cliché." Kol stated.

Scarlett chose to snort in response, if Kol wanted to go there then Scarlett would happily follow and she'd win of course because she was the queen of insults as she could dish them out and respond back to them without batting a single eyelid. "Only topped by the thousand year old vampire who is not only attracted to a teenaged girl but rather obsessed with her, I am actually dismayed to realize and say out loud that my life is ever so slightly starting to resemble the twilight books…"

"Twilight?"

"Pop culture reference my bad, forgot your not update with everything in this century but forget it and let's carry on." Scarlett said motioning for Kol to carry on.

"Someone is eager–"

"–For this to be over, you know I am a busy person? I do have other things I could be doing that answering your calls and entertaining you." Scarlett quipped with small yawn.

"Just so you know gorgeous, I'm not obsessed with you more like intrigued.

"You came all the way here to see me from god knows wherever it is you disappeared to and you don't think that suggests your just the slightest bit infatuated with me? No offense Kol but it practically screams it given that you can just help yourself when it comes to me? You just seem to gravitate towards me and if your not careful I might have to get a restraining order out…" Scarlett smugly stated only for Kol to make his way over to have her and have his hand dangerously close to her waist.

"Restraining order?" Kol asked.

"It's this order or protection in a form of a legal injunction, basically telling you that you'd have to stay a certain distance away from me otherwise you'd get thrown in jail and become somebody's bitch. It's not pleasant…" Scarlett began

"I look forward to it."

"Huh?" Scarlett said in surprise as she had just good naturedly threatened Kol with a restraining order and all he could respond with was a 'I look forward to it' which was the last thing she expected to hear but then again this was Kol and he was looking in that way he always seemed to be with that smug smile of his which made his eyes light up whenever he smiled at that.

"I said I look forward to it…" Kol repeated and Scarlett just give him a puzzled look as she simply did not get it or him in the slightest especially when he decided to kiss her and Scarlett's immediate reaction god knows why was to jerk away but she found that she couldn't no matter how hard she tried as Kol's arms were wrapped tightly around her, which was a good thing as her knees were actually going weak and Scarlett didn't remember it being like this last night although she had been sitting on the hood of her car and before she knew what she was even doing Scarlett's arms sneaked up Kol's chest and wrapped themselves around his neck. That was not supposed to happen or be part of the plan, Scarlett figured she'd go along with Kol's ludicrous game for a while before sabotaging by stepping back enough so she'd be able to go. The last thing she wanted was for her Kol to kiss her and worse, for her to be kissing him back. Things were just spiraling way out of control.

"That's cheating…" Scarlett quietly murmured after they had finally stopped and it gave her a moment to pull herself back together.

"Hmm, I know. I figured I'd take a page out of your book." Kol quipped and Scarlett just looked at him with a small smile before taking a step back she'd never admit to Kol that last night when he kissed was her first kiss. "And your taking a step back because?"

"It seemed like the right thing to do."

"You don't trust me, do you?" Kol questioned and Scarlett just stood there for a moment debating on what she should do before deciding that she should stay. She didn't trust Kol because of what she knew he was capable of and who he was related to but a small part of trusted him for god knows what reason.

"Trust is a complicated and fragile thing and something I entrust to a certain few, I don't take it lightly." Scarlett honestly admitted, she only trusted three people in the world completely and Kol wasn't one of them.

"You don't trust me and you don't fear me. It's interesting."

"I guess."

"You know you never told me your age gorgeous, I think it's only fair that I know considering that you know mine." Kol casually said changing the subject onto something more pleasant and back to the light and fun aspect to his and Scarlett's conversations.

"I only know that you are over a thousand years old I don't know your actual age but I have a general age so I guess your right in an abstract kind of way and if you really want to know I'm only seventeen, I'm afraid I don't turn eighteen until October 6th…" Scarlett absentmindedly said.

"That's rather soon, twelve days in fact if we haven't moved away from the Gregorian calendar in the last hundred years." Kol replied and something struck Scarlett and she furrowed her eyebrows together.

"What day is it today?" Scarlett demanded.

"September 24th."

As soon as Kol said that Scarlett took a sharp intake of breath as she realized what this all meant, she had been completely unaware of the upcoming date until Kol pointed out hr birthday was soon approaching. It wasn't her soon to be eighteenth birthday that had stunned Scarlett but the occasion that was coming up before then. The one year anniversary of Zach's death, today was September 24th and Zach had been killed September 29th. She couldn't believe that an entire year had gone by and that she hadn't been aware of the anniversary was coming up and that she didn't remember if it wasn't for a few carefully chosen words by Kol. "Oh my god…"

"What is it? What's so important about today's date?"

"It's not today what matters…" Scarlett said with a small she of her head as she felt her eyes start to well up. Thinking about Zach and his death was going to bring up a lot of memories as that time was a pretty emotional time in her life and just realizing that she had been without him for almost an entire year hurt Scarlett. She had nightmares about Zach's death every single day for weeks, she had cried herself to sleep and even tried to kill herself because of it. And now it would all come back up again.

"Then what is it?" Kol questioned. "Talk to me Scarlett."

"Last year on the 29th of September, I lost someone who I very much loved and it almost killed me…" Scarlett quietly said as she couldn't believe that in five days time it would the one year anniversary of Zach's death.

"A boyfriend?" Kol slowly said.

Scarlett sniffed and shook her head, it was weird talking to Kol about this but then it wasn't as she had seen him at his worst and now he was seeing her in a not so great place as Scarlett was no where near her worst point as she almost didn't come back from it last year . "No my Uncle."

"Uncle?"

"Damon and Stefan aren't my only uncles, my dad had a younger brother Zach. After my dad died my Uncle Zach became my guardian and raised me as if I was his own, he taught everything that I needed to know about cooking, life and driving, basically everything that I needed in life. But he also taught me other things like it didn't matter about what the other kids said or thought about me all that matter was how I saw myself and that I was loved. That was the most important thing he wanted me to know. That I was loved. As I have severe abandonment issues as the people I love always leave me, it's why I'm so screwed up and not normal like everyone else as my mom walked out, grandparents died, dad killed himself and then Uncle Zach was murdered…" Scarlett tearily said.

"What happened?"

"Damon snapped his neck. That used to be his thing, killing relatives just because he could. Kind of like Klaus although Damon actually killed them instead of daggering them and stuffing them into coffins… I don't remember most of what happened that day but I'll never forget when I found his body in the basement and there was nothing we could do to save Zach, he was dead and I was alone yet again." Scarlett replied swallowing a huge lump in her throat. "I can't believe that it's been a year already, so much stuff has happened since that I guess I forgot…"

"Scarlett…"

"You don't have to say anything Kol, honestly it's fine…" Scarlett wearily said as she felt Kol's hand gently brush against hers and with her free hand she wiped her eyes.

"Call me Ishmael." Kol said after a moments silence and it caused Scarlett to laugh as that was the most random thing that she ever heard Kol say until she realized that he said it because she was wearing her Moby Dick sweater that Stefan had given her for her seventeenth birthday. He must have noticed that and decided to comment on it by reciting the first sentence of Moby Dick.

"It was the devious-cruising Rachel, that in her retracing search after her missing children, only found another orphan." Scarlett quietly said as she recited the last line of Moby Dick before turning to Kol. "We shouldn't be doing this Kol…"

"Excuse me?" Kol asked

"We can't keep meeting like this, we're supposed to be enemies given everything that your family has to done to mine and the people I care about and vice versa. It is only a matter of time before somebody else gets hurts. Something like this between a human and vampire will never work out and god forbid ever falling in love with each other…"

"You don't believe in love and neither do I." Kol pointed out.

Scarlett couldn't help but laugh. "That's true but I'm still right."

"You know I'm not going to do what your asking me to do, I'm not going to leave you alone gorgeous like you said, I'm rather obsessed with you and dare I admit it rather infatuated. It's very odd." Kol said as he stroked Scarlett's cheek with his thumb as the two of them leaned their foreheads against each other.

"Like I told you I'm always right, it's one of my very bad habits." Scarlett quietly murmured as she leaned up ever so slightly and kissed Kol before backing away. "Thank you, this has been interesting to say the least."

"And I got my kiss…"


	77. Chapter 77

After leaving Kol at Wickery Bridge Scarlett headed back to the boarding house as there was nothing much else for her to do as she didn't have work, Damon and Stefan were off somewhere and Alaric was currently in jail and they didn't have the first idea of how to get these ridiculous charges dropped. However being along in the house gave Scarlett some time to get her head together about this Kol thing as the last few days she had never been truly alone to figure everything out as there was always someone around or something going on. So now was a perfect time for Scarlett to get her head together. She knew what she was doing was incredibly stupid but it just happened. It wasn't like she asked for this to happen she was perfectly content in her life for the most part and there was not any problems or issues that involved her. Stefan and Damon yes. But her, no.

Scarlett had never any interest guys before until Kol came out of that coffin of his, before she had only been concerned with work, her heart, family and friends not to mention whatever supernatural drama was going on this week in Mystic Falls. Then she stood over a coffin and was scared by a thousand year old vampire and here they were now.

What Scarlett liked most about Kol was that with him she could just be a normal teenage girl involved with a boy. Yes there was the big issue of him being a vampire not to mention how their families had it in for each other on a daily basis but that never seemed to matter between the two of them. No doubt he knew exactly who she was that first night at the ball but he still seemed intrigued by her, then the day after he still wanted to talk to her even if after Damon had attacked him and snapped his neck not to mention Scarlett keeping quiet about Esther's plot to kill him and his siblings. Then in the woods after he had forced her to drive out of town Kol could have easily killed her, just like he could have done the same today but he didn't. It was odd.

He made her smile and feel things that she had never felt before, despite not believing in love there was something about Kol. It wasn't love but it something but Scarlett couldn't exactly put that feeling into words at the precise moment. As bad as this entire thing was, it was a small piece of happiness that Scarlett hadn't had in a long time. She hadn't been happy in a long time, she had bouts of happiness on occasion but being happy wasn't something she had in over a year. She just wanted to hold on to it for a little while longer before she did the right thing.

Scarlett sat on her piano stool as she went over everything in her head, things were so complicated and she had no one to talk to about it. Damon would lose his temper, Stefan was currently the more unpredictable of the two so was rather a loose cannon at the moment. She couldn't go to Matt, no after what Kol did to him and Scarlett couldn't trust Caroline to keep something like this to herself not to mention she had Tyler issues to deal with. And there was no way Scarlett was going to Elena about some kind of romantic issue given the huge one that she had and was causing. She had no one to turn to except for and dare Scarlett admit it, her mother. Despite Claire not ever being around or doing anything for Scarlett, the idea of going to her and talking about this was rather tempting as Claire wouldn't know who Kol is and she didn't live in Mystic Falls so it wasn't going to get back to anyone she knew here. Not to mention she must have some kind of motherly advice she could offer.

"Earth to Red!"

A hand being waved in her face drew Scarlett back to reality and she looked around the room wearily to see Damon standing in front of her but that it was also dark outside. It had surprised her as it was still light when she came home and now it wasn't meaning that she had drifted off for a very long time. Which was a new one for her. "Oh hey, I didn't see you there…"

"Yeah I know, I've been standing here for close to forty minutes and you've just ignored me as you've been too caught up in that own little world of yours Red. It's rather disturbing you know, you looked like you were possessed but enough of that where've you been all day?" Damon questioned.

"Just running around and doing a coupe of errands, then I came back here." Scarlett wearily said. "What about you?"

Damon motioned for Scarlett to move over and she slide over and Damon joined her on the piano stool. "Trying to teach Stefan to have fun again and how to drink blood in moderation, it's a work progress but I'll let you know as we go along. Rebekah is up to something so we need to keep an eye on the She-Klaus, oh and Ric has been released from jail as it turns out the county medical examiner made a mistake with the time of death. So we're looking for a new murderer in town and it's not me before you ask."

"Oh ok…" Scarlett quietly replied.

"Is that all your going to say? Oh ok?" Damon questioned.

Scarlett shrugged her shoulders. "I don't really know what else to say to be honest but if you want me to say something specific then tell me and then I'll say it.

"What is up with you Red? You've been acting up the last couple of days and it's really starting to freak me out because you're acting so unlike yourself. What's going on with you and I want a honest answer from you Red!"

"There's nothing wrong with me, I'm just feeling really tired at the moment with everything going on at the moment with this murderer, the originals, school and work it's just wearing me out and then I remembered that next week is the one year anniversary of Zach's death. I just have a lot on at the moment and it's just getting to me I guess." Scarlett lied because she was coping with that fine, it had been her life this past year it was this Kol thing that was really getting to her not to mention all the lying she was doing.

"So I dug into the old family archives from the 1900s." Stefan said as he walked into the library and Scarlett leaned forward to look at him as Damon was currently obscuring her view.

"So now you want to be helpful?" Damon scoffed and Scarlett realized that she was missing something that had gone on earlier.

"Want me to go back to being mad at you?" Stefan retorted.

"What'd you find?" Scarlett said moving things along because Damon and Stefan arguing was just going to get in the way of whatever he thought he had found in their families old archives.

"Well, nothing from 1912, they never did arrest anyone for the Founder's murders." Stefan said placing the open book on the piano in front of Damon and Scarlett. "But, they did get a confession ten years later."

Damon looked up in interest. "They did? Who?"

"Jonathan Gilbert's granddaughter, Samantha. They assumed she was crazy, locked her up in an insane asylum." Stefan said and Scarlett snored in disbelief, she always knew that the Gilberts were crazy and know they had sound proof that she was a murderer too. Didn't bode to well for Jeremy and Elena given the crazy genes that ran in their family from Jonathan and Samantha but then there was also John jr. who was pretty damn crazy in during the time he was alive.

"Then what?" Scarlett questioned. "Is that it? They get a confession and do nothing except lock her up in an asylum?"

"Trail ends there. I mean, she was a Founder, you know how they like to look out for their own." Stefan replied and Scarlett wearily nodded.

"Samantha Gilbert. That is very weird." Damon slowly said.

"Why?"

"Because I'm pretty sure I had already killed her by feeing off her until she was bone dry." Damon said an exaggerated manner and Scarlett just rolled her eyes.

"So you reckon you killed Samantha back in ye old 1912 yet somehow she managed to survived and was still running around a full ten years later until she decided to confess to the murders of the founders. This story isn't making much sense Uncle Damon." Scarlett said pointing out the obvious as that story had a few holes and wasn't exactly holding up, it was kind of weak and it sounded like Damon was making it up just for all the glory.

"Well it's truth Red, I killed her and I know it! When I kill someone I do it properly, I don't do the job half arsed so move on already!" Damon said through gritted teeth.

"So you think Samantha Gilbert is still alive, running around Mystic Falls, killing Founders?" Stefan asked sceptically making it clear that he was taking Scarlett side in this entire thing.

"It's not possible, if she became a vampire, we'd know about it, right?" Damon sneered in response.

"Then the only other possible explanation is that she must have had a ring that brought her back to life, I mean she was a Gilbert, right? Those rings were passed on for generations starting with Jonathan Gilbert, it makes sense that Samantha may have been possession of it as she was his granddaughter. We can't rule out that possibility, this is Mystic Falls where anything is possible in this town." Scarlett stated as the three of them knew that better than anyone in this entire town given all the secrets they knew, the ones they kept.

"Yeah, but even if she had a ring, she wouldn't be alive today. Doesn't protect her from old age." Damon pointed out.

"Jonathan Gilbert only made two of those rings. Jeremy has one of them and the other's…" Stefan began before being interrupted by Scarlett's finger's hit the keys on the piano ever so hard and the sound of the keys being played to hard rang through out the room causing to Damon and Stefan to look at Scarlett

"Alaric's. He's the one behind this, Alaric is the one responsible for the recent murders because of the Gilbert ring, it's making him do this…" Scarlett said, her voice cracking slightly as all three of them realized the implications of what she had just said. Things had just gotten a bit more complicated and suddenly Scarlett's problems with Kol weren't the most pressing thing on her mind anymore.


	78. Chapter 78

_Sorry it's been so long, things have been busy with life... any who, new chapter for you all and to answer the question that everyone has been asking me i.e. When is Damon going to find out about Scarlett and Kol? Well... It'll be the next chapter, he's gonna find out in a spectacular way thanks to Kol and thngs are going to be pretty damn explosive from there on out. Don't expect a new chapter tomorrow as i've got plans most of the day and then i'm going out on a pub crawl. But you may get the anxiously awaited chapter on sunday if i'm not hungover, i wouldn't hold your breath though... But anyway enjoy xx_

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Scarlett sat in the living of her mother's Claire's house as she had finally managed to swallow her pride and go to her for some advice. Before she had even got there Scarlett had told her mother to make sure that her dimwit husband wasn't in the house as she really couldn't stand him and him being around would just make things harder for Scarlett then they already were. Not that it wasn't hard for her already as she was sitting opposite her mother feeling nervous and self conscious which seemed to be happening a lot recently and Scarlett blamed Kol for this, he came into her life and messed this up. "So…" Scarlett wearily began.

"How's everything?" Claire asked.

"Okay I guess, I saw dad a couple of weeks back…" Scarlett absentmindedly said which caused her mother's eyebrows to rise so high that they almost disappeared in her hairline. "Don't worry, he's still dead. There was this thing with witches and all these ghost manifested and dad was one of them, but we got to talk for a while before he moved on."

"You saw dad… What did you two talk about?"

"Lots of things, he wanted me to know how sorry he was about everything that's happened and then we talked about things going on in my life. Like college, we talked about that for a while. He was glad to know I'm still intent on going to Georgetown…" Scarlett replied which caused Claire to smile.

"You started on your applications yet?" Claire questioned.

"Yeah I'm pretty much all sorted, just need to add the finishing touches to it and go over them once more and then I'll send them in. Georgetown, Northwestern, Berkeley, Duke, Stanford, Brown and UPenn." Scarlett replied.

"That's great, has anything else happened lately other than college and ghosts?" Claire asked.

There was no way Scarlett could tell her mother what was going on with Alaric and his killer alter ego or any of the other stuff that had been going on otherwise she'd probably be dragged her back and locked up stairs for her own good. It was better for everyone sake's if Claire didn't get involved in this. "So… I need to talk to you about something and you have to promised me that you won't tell anyone anything about what we talk about."

"Okay, I promise."

"There's this guy…" Scarlett began.

"A guy?" Claire questioned in surprise and Scarlett just rolled her eyes.

"I'm not Amish or a nun for that matter, I just have my own way doing things and I am a teenage girl these things are apparently normal even for me. But there is this guy and it's complicated…"

"Are the two of you sexually–"

"No!" Scarlett bellowed as she felt her cheeks blush a furious shade of red as she proceeded to shake her head at her mother's assumption that she was sexually active with Kol. Which was ludicrous and never going to happen, ever. "It's not like that at all in the slightest and I do not need the facts of life talk, I had to sit through that one when I twelve and I don't to revisit that. So let's get one thing straight, I'm a virgin and I'm perfectly content with being one and I'm not intending up to give it up to this guy."

"Why not?"

Scarlett took a deep breath. "Because he's a vampire. In fact one of the oldest vampires in existence as he is one of the first vampires to be created."

"A vampire." Claire began with a shocked look on her face as that was the last thing that she was ever expecting to hear and Scarlett watched as her mother tried to deal with this information as the Salvatore's weren't the biggest fan of vampires and now Scarlett was somewhat involved with one.

"I know. But it's complicated and it's been spinning out of control ever since and I don't know what to do and I can't talk to anyone about it because things are difficult at the moment and it was the last thing I wanted to happen but it did. I'm lying to everyone and sneaking off all the time… And there is no one back home who I can take to because I can't go to the Uncles about this because If I go to Damon and Stefan about this, I have no idea what they'll do if they ever find out…" Scarlett said as after holding this all in, it was all starting to come out and Scarlett had no control over it in the slightest

"Okay calm down Scarlett and start from the beginning and tell me what happened and then we'll figure out what to do." Claire advised.

Scarlett nodded his head. "He scared me the first time we met, it was for a brief time and then the next day we properly met. I knew three of his siblings before we met but I didn't know about him until a few nights ago. There was this ball and he came over and introduced himself. Kol, that's what his name is. We danced and talked for a while and it all started from there."

"What started?"

"You need to understand something first, Kol is unstable. He is charming, handsome, full of spirit and fun to be around but he's also unpredictable with this lack of regard for anyone or anything not to mention his temper. But he's like me Claire, the two of us are similar especially when it comes to the problems in our family… Kol's family makes our one looking the frigging Brady bunch. I tried to stay away but he just wouldn't stay up, the more I pushed him away the more Kol tried and then I felt myself giving in when I knew I shouldn't have."

"Scarlett…" Claire began.

"I shouldn't be doing this, I shouldn't be seeing Kol but I can't help it Claire. As bad as this sounds when I'm with him, I don't know how but… I can feel it. Like my heart is transparent and I get this sense of peace I haven't' had in a long time and I find myself wishing that we could stay like that forever. Kol takes everything out of the equation, when we're together he's not my enemy instead we're just Scarlett and Kol. I feel normal for once. I feel like a normal teenage girl whose–"

"In love?" Claire finished.

"No. Not love. I don't believe in it, I can't believe in it especially with Kol no matter how much of a good kisser he is…" Scarlett joked feeling somewhat relief for the first time in days.

"He makes you happy. I like him." Claire said which caused Scarlett to look at her mother in surprise. "I've heard what you've said about this mysterious Kol who is a vampire which some of it is concerning but he makes you happy Scarlett. I can clearly see that."

"This happiness won't last, it never does. It just of matter of time… I have to constantly remind myself of that when he kisses me because when he does it's like he's taking the constant fear I have of my world falling apart away. I don't like it but then I do. But this won't last Claire. It'll end badly as a love affair between a vampire and a human can and will never end well. Too much ahs happened, too much will happen" Scarlett wearily said.

"Do you really believe that Scarlett?" Claire asked.

"Yes. He's a vampire, I'm human… did you not hear what I just said."

"Then why did you come to me?"

Scarlett sighed. "Because you're my mother. I needed someone to talk to and vent about this matter and you were the only one I knew I could talk to about this situation… He's going to break my heart mom, it's just a matter of when he'll do it…"

"You don't know that Scarlett! For a guy you seem to like you have such a negative view of him!" Claire scolded. "You need to be more positive, you having feelings for this Kol and he'd be an idiot not to feel the same way about you. That's all that matters."

"Um not really especially the fact that we come from warring families and a bunch of supernatural creatures to add into the mixture. It's not simple, it's the furthest thing from being simple."

"Kind of like Romeo and Juliet. The two of you are the Romeo and Juliet of Mystic Falls. Kind of sweet." Claire noted.

"And that ended so well for the two of them mom and they didn't have the supernatural going on's like I do." Scarlett retorted although she did realize that her mother did make a very good point and if tt was true then things weren't exactly looking good for the 'star-crossed loved as Shakespeare said 'For ever a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo…'


	79. Chapter 79

_Big bag chapter and let me tell you it's only the start of it and you'll see more of Damon's reaction in the next one especially with Stefan and his surprising reaction to it but back to Damon and what he does at the end of the chapter will have huge ramifications. So next chapter with have lots of Scarlett/Kol bit plus a scene involving the two of them and Stefan, then a very emotional one with Scarlett and Stefan to coincide with the anniversary of Zach's death - which i thought would be a nice thing to do as i figured it's about time for Scarlett and Stefan to fix their relationship as he is the one who essentially 'saves' her every time she falls apart._

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Finn was dead. That was one of the many things that had happened in recent days. They had also found out that there had been another white oak tree in Mystic Falls but that met it's demise by Damon's old friend and Finn's flame Sage. However Damon had managed to salvage the old wickery bridge sign that was made of the exact same wood so they had or rather did have weapons to kill the originals. But here's where things went wrong as per usual, Rebekah tortured Damon with in an inch of his life, Bonnie undid the spell that bound all the originals together and Klaus had eight of the twelve daggers, they had three and Alaric's evil alter ego had gone and hidden one. Oh and Matt had staked Finn and when he did Sage died along with this vampire she had sired. Turns out you kill an original and you kill their entire bloodline. So now they had to figure out which original Caroline, Stefan and Damon along with Abby came from. All complicated as per usual.

"Hey Red, shake a leg we're here!" Damon said bringing Scarlett back out of her thoughts and into reality, the two of them along with Elena had flown to Denver to see Jeremy to get him to contact rose to find out who had sired her. They needed to know which original started 'their' line so to know which one not to kill. Scarlett didn't exactly like thinking about it because there was a good possibility that Kol was going to be killed and whilst that would make her life so much easier, it wasn't something she really wanted.

"Oh right, sorry…" Scarlett quietly murmured as she climbed out of the car and followed Elena around some batting cage where they walked around for a bit before Elena finally spotted him not hitting the ball at all.

"Next time we compel him, remind me to make him better at baseball." Damon murmured to Scarlett which caused her to snicker quietly and Elena to roll her eyes as she walked closer to the batting cage.

"Hey Jer!"

"Elena? What's wrong?" Jeremy question in surprise but being smart enough to know that sometime must clearly be wrong for the three of them to be here in Denver of all places and so Damon gave him the quick run down of everything that had happened since he had left town.

"–Katherine sired us, Rose sired Katherine, all we need to do is find out who sired Rose, which is where you come in. We need you to do that thing of yours and contact her." Damon said finishing what had been the world's most condensed story as it took him less than five minutes to explain all the big bad evil that was going on in Mystic Falls.

"So, you travelled across the country to get me to talk to a dead vampire?" Jeremy sceptically questioned.

Scarlett slowly nodded. "Dead vampire is pretty redundant, but yes we need to back trace this vampire line to find out which of the originals Damon and the others are sired to and we're only a couple of notches up the totem pole, we need Rose to tell us where to go next."

"Well, I can't. I could talk to Anna and Vicki because I knew them. I've never even met Rose." Jeremy stated.

"What good is you dying and coming back to life if you can't talk to a ghost when I need you to?" Damon demanded and Scarlett just nudged him in the ribs, he was so bloody impatient and whilst she knew that time was of the essence they could afford some time to try and figure something out before putting the Jeremy lead as downright dead end.

"Rose spent a long time running from Klaus as well. She and Damon were close, so maybe we can use him as a connection." Elena offered.

"Fine, fine, but can we do this later? My friend just got here and yes, Damon, I actually have some. I'll call you when I'm done." Jeremy said before walking away from them and Scarlett just looked at him dumbstruck like Jeremy said they had travelled across the country to get his help so the least he could do was put his social life on the back burner for a bit. Until she saw that his so called friend was Kol.

"Jer…" Elena began.

"Hey man." Jeremy said as he made his way to greet Kol but instead the original vampire ignored him.

"Kol?" Scarlett wearily asked as she took a couple of steps closer to Kol who was grinning at her before choosing to walk past her and hit Damon with a wooden baseball bat and the force of the impact caused the bat to break and Damon to fall to the ground.

"Hello gorgeous, it's good to see you. I've missed you…" Kol quipped.

"What are you doing?!" Jeremy demanded. "And how do you know Scarlett?"

"Jeremy, get back! He's an Original." Elena called out.

"No hard feelings, mate. But we're not buds although Scarlett and I are a little more than buds." Kol said as he grabbed an aluminum bat from the bat rack. "You know, I'll never get use to aluminum. But hey, at least it won't break.

Before Kol could even hit him Damon picked up half of the broken bat and stabbed Kol through the chest with it and moments later Kol fell to the floor dead and they took that as their chance to escape. The four of them fled to a nearby hotel in order to hide out from Kol and during that time Jeremy finally got himself together and managed to contact Rose who told them that she was sired by a woman named Mary Porter. Long story short they needed to find her and Rose said she'd look into it according to Jeremy. Until then all they could do was hang out and relax which Damon and Elena took a bit too far when Scarlett along with Jeremy caught them making out with each other outside the motel room when they came to tell them that Rose had given them the address of Mary Porter.

"…So Kol said something about you earlier, said that the two of you were more than friends." Jeremy began as they made the long drive to Kansas.

"Kol talks a lot. I wouldn't pay any attention to him or anything he says just a pretty boy with an awfully big mouth." Scarlett replied.

"Not really answering my question." Jeremy pointed out which got the attention of Damon and Elena.

"It's no secret that I'm on partially friendly terms with most of the originals but I wouldn't exactly call them my friends. If Kol is suggesting his friends it's probably wishful thinking on more of his part then mine." Scarlett lied sounding as nonchalant as possible which seemed to satisfy Jeremy and the others and Damon continued to drive them to Kansas and a couple of hours later they arrived at a scary looking house and Scarlett headed straight inside whilst Elena and Jeremy argued about whether he was allowed to come in.

Making her way into the house with a torch Scarlett saw that it was like a hoarders heaven practically the entre house was filled with crap and as she walked around in the hallway a noise came from a room and she looked around and almost got the crap scared out of her when she saw Damon and Elena standing behind her. Pointing to the room where the noise came from the three of them made their way in with Damon in front followed by Scarlett and Elena. When they walked in Scarlett shone her torch around the room until it landed on a red headed vampire who had clearly been staked.

"Mary." Damon quietly stated.

Moments later the lights came on in the room and there was Kol sitting in a chair with a baseball bat. "Quite contrary… Shame about Mary, she used to be a blast. Don't quite know what happened. I fear all the time she spent with my family might have ruined her. She was a bit of an Original groupie."

"And let me guess you were favourite?" Scarlett said.

"Gorgeous, are you jealous?" Kol questioned in amusement.

"Don't be stupid!" Scarlett retorted.

"You mean, did I turn her? I think I did. But no, wait, maybe it was Rebekah. There was also a Klaus period. And let's not forget the Elijah affair. I spoke to my brother, I know you're trying to find out who you descended from. Now you never will. So, where did we leave off?" Kol teased before proceeding to hit Damon with the baseball bat and he fell to the ground as Kol continued to beat him with the bat.

"Get out of here!" Damon ordered and Elena tried to run for the door but Kol blocked her way.

"According to my brother, you're off limits. Please don't test me." Kol warned as he threw Elena to the ground, which caused Damon to get up and rush towards Kol.

"Don't touch her." Damon warned but Kol tossed Damon aside as if he was nothing.

"Oh dear, I've hit a nerve. Relax, darling, I just want us to be even. You snapped my neck, you killed my brother, and then you humiliated me." Kol said as he continued to hit Damon with the bat. "However I will stop when I make you watch as I take something from a person you love and then we may be even…"

"What?" Elena questioned.

"A kiss." Kol replied.

"You want a kiss?" Elena asked in shocked.

"Not from you love, Damon and his brother may find you attractive but you really don't do it for me. I want from my favourite little human, the one I've been getting to know rather well recently." Kol said turning to Scarlett briefly as he continued to hit Damon.

"Red…" Damon chocked.

"How does it feel to know that I've been getting rather acquainted with your gorgeous niece in a not so similar way to this. I couldn't help myself really as she is stunningly beautiful and those lips of hers, my they are the devils work–" Kol began before stopping short when Scarlett walked over to him and turned his head towards her so she could kiss him. It was stupid thing to do but it was the only way that Kol would stop hurting Damon.

"Stop it now." Scarlett wearily said taking the bat off Kol and proceeding to walk out of the room and walk out of the house. In her head she could see the look of hurt and disgust when Kol stared taunting Damon about her.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Damon demanded when he and Elena came out of the house and he made his way over to Scarlett and it was clear by his face that he was furious and he was making no attempts to hide it. "How stupid can you get Red? He is an original vampire!"

"I-it's not what you think." Scarlett stammered.

"I think it's exactly what I think, that your involved with pretty boy original vampire who is trying to kill all of us or did you not witness that just happened in the house or anything else that has been going on lately! This is why you've been acting so out of character lately because of him…" Damon yelled and Scarlett just chose not to answer.

"Let's not do this here." Elena began but Damon ignored her.

"You stupid, stupid little girl! Your risking everything for a little fling with a vampire who doesn't care about you, who won't hesitate to kill you when it suits his needs!"

"Rich coming from you!" Scarlett yelled back finally finding her voice. "Sleeping with Rebekah, this crap with you and Elena not to mention all the other countless girls you've screwed over the years and killed, like Caroline and Isobel.

"Difference is I'm not going to get anyone killed and at least I don't lie about it unlike you, lying to everyone about shaking up with your new vampire boyfriend. You can go get your own ride back home or better yet call Kol because I want nothing to do with you anymore..." Damon retorted as he roughly pushed pass Scarlett that she fell to the ground, not bothering to look back once and he forced Elena and Jeremy into the car, chucking Scarlett's bags out of the car before driving off. Scarlett sat there for a moment trying to understand what happened but it was hard to think as her entire world felt like it was crumbling and her heart was beating to hard for to focus on anything. Scarlett looked at her bag lying not to far from her, she needed to get to it to take her pills but she couldn't reach it from where she was and a part didn't want to. So instead she closed her eyes and laid back and waited for the darkness to come.


	80. Chapter 80

_So... If there's not a new chapter by tomorrow then i won't get round to it until monday as the next couple of days are jam packed and i'm going to be needing to catch up on a lot sleep but i'll make it worth it and as a bit of a spoiler, the next chapter will be very long and feature a road trip between two certain people and Scarlett's arrival back at the boarding house and things will blow up once again. But there will be a surprise reaction...  
_

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The darkness came but it didn't last. Her eyes fluttering open Scarlett found herself lying in a bed that didn't belong to her, but all Scarlett knew was that she needed to get of there wherever the hell she was. Dragging herself off the bed Scarlett stumbled out of the room and opening the door she made her way into dark corridor, fumbling along as best she could. But whatever she was Scarlett could barely see and her feet were knocking into things and before she knew it she had tripped over something went tumbling down the stairs landing on her side. It hurt a lot and Scarlett groaned as she lay on a very dirty floor

"I think it's pretty clear that you've fallen for me gorgeous, you didn't have to do this…" Kol quipped flashing the cocky grin that Scarlett wasn't sure whether she loved or hated but she was pretty sure she hated it in this moment.

"Great, just great. I literally fall smack bang into the last person I wanted to see…" Groaning quietly Scarlett picked herself and once she did she had to put her hand to her temple as she had a pounding headache that made her wince with every passing second. Pulling her hand away Scarlett saw that she was bleeding which just made everything worse but she wouldn't focus on that now, she just needed to get home and to that she had to get out of here. So she brushed past Kol and made her way out of the house, realizing that she was still at Mary Porter's house in Kansas. It made Scarlett remember that she was stuck here with no way of getting back to Mystic Falls and if that wasn't bad enough, she just happened to be stuck with Kol of all people.

"You don't sound too happy to see me." Kol stated as Scarlett walked out of the house.

"Happy? Why would I be happy to see you after everything you've done today? I knew you were up to something this entire time and you were being cryptic about where you had been when you weren't in Mystic Falls, but seriously Kol what the hell were you doing? You could have killed Damon!" Scarlett yelled, turning on her heels as to face Kol.

"And would that have been a bad thing?" Kol questioned.

"Bad thing? Are you seriously asking me whether or not killing Damon would be a bad thing? He is my family Kol, one of the few people I have left and I watched you beat him into a bloody pulp twice today and then you pulled that stunt! Telling him about us and wrecking everything for me! My family mean everything to me and I thought you knew that–"

"–And what about mine Scarlett? You go on about your family but what about mine? Your friends were trying to help my mother kill me and the rest of my siblings! Damon may be your uncle but Finn was my brother and now he is dead! I did what I had to do to ensure my families survival because all your little family and friends are concerned with is finding out what bloodline they come from and when they do they won't hesitate to kill whichever originals they aren't descended from! I'm protecting my family too!" Kol retorted.

"Klaus started this as did Esther not us." Scarlett wearily said.

"So quick to put the blame on others but not yourself and the people you surround yourself with... You make me and my family out to be the bad guys in all of this but what about your own? In particular Damon, I saw him yell at you, throw your bags at you and just leave you behind not caring whether you lived or you died! I didn't have to save your life but I did! I gave you my blood and your hear standing in front of me! Your so quick to blame my family but what about yours?" Kol pointed out and Scarlett had to look away because she knew he was right, Damon had yelled at her and callously abandoned her when she knew he had done worst things that what she had done. She also remembered her heart giving out and being too far away and closing her eyes waiting for the darkness to come and it did. Then she felt warm hands and safe, Scarlett opened her eyes and saw Kol and that was the last thing she remembered until she woke up in the bed

"Why?" Scarlett found herself questioning.

Kol narrowed his eyes at Scarlett in confusion. "Why what?"

"Save me. Our families hate each other, we're supposed to be enemies yet you save me, if you had left me there I would have remained unconscious until I went into shock from either the cold or my heart. Why'd you same me Kol? Is this some part of your game?" Scarlett asked as she reminded herself not to do anything stupid as she had vampire blood in her system supposedly.

"Game?"

"Yeah, you know what a game is Kol we established that already. I'm talking about the game that's going on between us or rather you using me to get your own back at Damon by messing around with me knowing that it would push him over the edge, when you gave him all the details." Scarlett began with a small nod of her head. "I always knew you were up to something, you can't kid a kidder like me Kol."

"This isn't a game Scarlett."

"Sure feels like it and it's the only reason I can think of as to why you'd save my life, so you could use more in your family's little vendetta, use to me to hurt the people I care about… _Les liaisons dangereuses._ That's what this is to you, a game full of cruel intentions" Scarlett slowly replied.

"Well it isn't a game at least not to me, do you want to know why I save you? It's because I can't seem to help myself when it comes to you! Nothing would have given me more pleasure than killing you if we hadn't of met the way we did. I should want to kill you but I don't all because I woke up after being daggered for a hundred years to a beautiful woman looking down at me with the mesmerizing blue eyes, which I just couldn't forget. You released me from a hell that I was unaware that I was living and I had to know you, hence why I made sure Elijah had an invitation to the ball sent to you…"

"Kol…"

"You're a human, a pesky little human girl and you shouldn't even register to me but you do! At the ball I thought I'd get over my infatuation with you but no I couldn't, it just seemed to get worse to my dismay and amusement. You a girl living in a small town who knows all about the supernatural who wasn't afraid of me and wasn't afraid to say what was on her mind. Do you have any idea how frustrating that is? Me a vampire falling for a girl whose family want to kill me?"

"You think I want any of this myself? You are the last person I want anything to do with because you are crazy Kol, out of your damn mind insane and unstable but you get me. I don't like how you can get into my head but you are the only thing in my crazy life that is remotely normal, other girls my age don't have the supernatural community setting up shop where they live but they have boy problems. You are the first normal thing I've experienced in the last few years and I find that so frustrating." Scarlett revealed.

"Glad to see that we're on the same page gorgeous." Kol replied.

"Here's the thing sweetcheeks, I'm not sure whether or not I should care anymore. Damon's made his feeling pretty clear and no doubt everyone else I know will feel the same. I used to be the girl who didn't care about what anyone else thought, I liked being that girl." Scarlett said, smiling for the first time in hours. It didn't matter what Damon thought, not after what he had done today all that mattered was what was going on here and now, more importantly how she and Kol felt about each other. This wasn't going to end well but nothing in her life was going well so she figured what the hell.

"You are either the most stupidest person I've ever come across or the most bravest but I like it, you know I'm not a hero or the white knight Scarlett, I'm the villain in this piece."

"Did you ever once hear me say that I wanted a hero?" Scarlett replied and Kol stood there and looked at her for a moment before striding over to her and pulling Scarlett into a passionate kiss that made her tremble and she couldn't help but melt into Kol as he took turns from kissing her to caressing and embracing her whilst whispering the most outrageous things to her which made her laugh. But also realize that not falling in love was going to be damn near impossible.


	81. Chapter 81

Scarlett looked over at Kol who was sitting beside her in the driver's seat of his car staring at her with a bemused look on his face. After they had came clean to each other about how they felt and made out for the better part of two hours, Kol announced that he was going to drive her back to Mystic Falls and that surprised Scarlett but what surprised her even more was how much of a good driver he was. Kol said that he had learned to drive before he was daggered but admitted it took him a day or two how to figure out how to use modern cars. They had actually made good headway and were only three hours away from Mystic Falls given Kol's lack of respect of the speed limit and compelling any cop who had attempted to pull them over they would get back shortly before noon. Scarlett would have found it funny if it wasn't so damn reckless and dangerous but Kol always laughed it off and told her she needed to stop worrying so much.

"You're doing it again." Scarlett stated as she looked over at Kol who was staring at her for about the millionth time since they started this little road trip of theirs, she had caught him starting at her every so often and when she did Kol would either quickly pretend that he hadn't been looking or keep his eyes on her until they almost crashed into something. It was very unnerving. "Staring at me, it's odd…"

"Ah yes… I forget that you don't think your attractive despite me telling you how beautiful I think you are; we're going to have to work on that gorgeous because you really shouldn't be so insecure about how you look–" Kol began.

" –I'm not insecure. I just don't think too much about how I look given that I'm kind of a plain looking girl, I'm not beautiful. Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, Natalie Wood, Ava Gardner are beautiful women but me? I could never compare with such timeless and classic beauties." Scarlett replied, she knew what he was doing. Distracting her from what today meant and she appreciated at it.

"Who? But whoever they are I doubt they are more attractive than you." Kol questioned and Scarlett couldn't help but honestly smile as he had no clue about who she was talking about. The way he said, it was like he couldn't even comprehend the idea that there was someone out there more beautiful then she was to him, it made Scarlett even more convinced than ever that Kol was delusional when he said things like that.

"But seriously, why were you looking at me for the hundredth million time today?" Scarlett questioned.

"Other than your impeccable beauty? It was your singing, you were singing along with this thing you call the radio." Kol admitted which took Scarlett by surprise, as she didn't realize that she had been singing along to the radio. Singing wasn't something Scarlett really did in front of people, but if she was doing it now then it was a sure sign that was completely comfortable with Kol.

"I'm Italian Kol singing is in my blood. My Italian heritage dates back `bout two hundred years but Nonna Helene was such a strong and proud Italian woman who was the heart of our family. She made sure that we knew of our Italian heritage through cooking, she was an great cook and taught me most of what I know about cooking but her voice was just amazing, it was literally like an angel sighing when she sung. Now there was a woman who could sing…" Scarlett said offhandedly

"Italian, huh? That explains your dark haired beauty."

"The surname didn't do anything for you did it? My surname being Salvatore being should have hinted to you my Italian heritage." Scarlett quipped.

"Sing."

"Excuse me?"

"I want you to sing again, I like hearing you sing it's like an angel sighing…" Kol said and Scarlett couldn't help but snort in amusement, she had just made Kol unknowingly quote Madonna although he had no idea who she was. "What's so funny gorgeous?"

"Nothing sweet cheeks…" Scarlett lied.

"I'm still waiting for my song Miss Salvatore." Kol said moving things back to the subject at hand and Scarlett just rolled her eyes and decided to get this over and done with, picking a song that really went with them and this whole road trip thing that they were doing.

"_You got a fast car, but is it fast enough so we can fly away. We gotta make a decision, we leave tonight or live and die this way… As I remember we were driving, driving in your car,  
the speed so fast I felt like I was drunk, and the city lights laid out before us and your arm felt nice wrapped round my shoulder. And I had a feeling that I belonged, and I had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone."_ Scarlett quietly sung before quietly humming the rest of the song for a few minutes.

"Thank you." Kol replied.

"If you think that was good, you should really see me play the piano then." Scarlett idly said

Kol looked at Scarlett in surprise. "You're a pianist?"

"Yes. I love it, playing the piano is one of the most constant things in my life as it never changes, I may play different pieces but I'm still playing beautiful music and it's kind of universal as everyone can understand music or rather listen to it… Gives me peace and centre's me when I'm struggling to keep a lid on things… I didn't do that last year though, went straight for the easy way out. I can pretty much tell you word for word and describe in detail how I found my Uncle Zach's body but then things go dark for a while and then later, I could tell you how I went to the bathroom and grabbed a bunch of pills and swallowed them with a whole lot of pills. If you can't connect the dots, then this is me telling you that I tried to kill myself this time last year…"

"Scarlett…" Kol slowly said.

"I lost so much in my life, so many people I loved and I live in a town where everyone pointed and whispered that I became the girl who I am now, the strong girl whose as tough as nails who doesn't take bullshit from anyone or care what they think. B-But that day, I just couldn't do it anymore. I had enough of losing the people I loved and being left alone. I just didn't see the point anymore, I didn't want to deal with it anymore I just wanted to escape…" Scarlett wearily said.

"What happened? I'm assuming–" Kol began.

"–That my suicide attempt failed? Well we'll never know whether it would have taken or not as Stefan found me and used his blood to save me. That night he saved me in more ways than one… I don't think I would have been able to survive without him, the grief almost destroyed me." Scarlett said swallowing a large lump in her throat although being taken a back when she felt Kol's hand slip into hers. The two of them sat there in silence for the rest of the journey which came to end an end three hours later when Kol pulled up at the top of the boarding house's driveway and the two of them let go of each other's hands and climbed out of the car. Scarlett was surprised to see Stefan walk out of the front door towards them and she knew that there was no way Damon hadn't told him.

"Are you okay?" Stefan questioned Scarlett although his eyes did wonder over to Kol's briefly and that confirmed Scarlett's worst suspicions but she chose not to say anything instead she chose to nod instead as she had no idea how to begin or even know what to for that matter. So silence was her best option at the moment, not that she was complaining.

"She has my blood in her system, it won't be out for another couple of hours so keep an eye on her. If anything happens to her, then I'm coming back and I will kill your brother…" Kol said directly to Stefan and Scarlett saw something pass between the two of them and the two nodded at each other before Kol turned his attention back to Scarlett. "I'll call you."

"Ok." Scarlett hoarsely replied, she didn't want Kol to go as he had been a safety net for her recently and without him she was free falling with uncertainty but as much as she wanted him to stay she knew he had to go.

"Don't do anything stupid." Kol warned as he handed Scarlett her bag before walking away and moments later him and his car were disappearing down the driveway leaving Scarlett and Stefan alone. Taking a deep breath Scarlett began walking into the house with Stefan right behind her and when she made her way through the front door she saw Damon in the living room drinking a scotch. Nothing new.

"Oh look the prodigal niece has returned! Here I was hoping that you'd run off somewhere with that boyfriend of yours!" Damon sneered.

"Why would I run off when this is my house? As long as this house is standing and the Salvatore's are a founding family of this town then I'm not going anywhere so I'm afraid I'm nor running off with Kol. Although he was kind enough to bring home after you left me there and I almost died. Guess he isn't too bad if he save my life after my heart gave out…" Scarlett replied, she was tired and really not up for dealing with Damon right now so she would be as snarky as she wanted given today and what it meant to her.

"Are you in love with him? Kol the psychotic original vampire?" Damon demanded.

"No I'm not!" Scarlett retorted

"Well by the looks of it, kind of seems like your falling in love with him."

"And what if I was? Who are you to say anything about it or make judgment given everything you've done? Damon, you of all people cannot tell me whom to love and how to live my life especially your past history with Katherine." Scarlett snarled.

"Are you honestly that delusional about all of this? That your pretty boy lover won't hesitate to kill you the moment he's done with you? Or has the thought even crossed your mind that he's just using you to get to us!" Damon yelled.

"It's always about you Damon, always has been and always will be and you throw tantrums when the spotlight is on someone else but you know what? I don't have to listen to a word you say as you left me there and I almost died, but Kol saved me. I know he's the bad guy in all of this but he's not as much of a bad guy as you are. Given that you broke me this exact day last year and it's not just because of what you did to Zach last year but everything else with the other vampires and my heart. This entire year you have broken me and the damage is profound and it's not just me you've broken; it's this entire family; Stefan, Great Grandpa Joseph, my parents and Zach. But you seem to display no actual lasting guilt about you done and yeah your probably right about Kol and I know he's most likely going to break my heart but here's the thing, I'm always been broken thanks to you so there's nothing Kol can do that will compare with what you have done to me!" Scarlett yelled in response before storming off upstairs to her room in order to be alone, Damon's self serving agenda was not going to work as Scarlett had done things worse that anything she had ever or would do.

"Hey…" A voice said and Scarlett turned to see Stefan standing in the doorway of the room.

"Go on, say whatever it is you want to say or just do a Damon and yell at me until you go blue in the face. Tell me how stupid and irresponsible I'm being and how I'm going to get everyone killed." Scarlett sated.

"I'm not here to yell."

"Then what are you here for?" Scarlett demanded.

"To talk, to see how you're doing. I was worried when Damon didn't come up back with you and he told me about you and Kol. But I'm not going to yell because I know better than anyone that you can't chose who you fall for, I've certainly not made the best choices and Damon can't exactly preach given that he slept with Rebekah…" Stefan replied as he slowly walked into Scarlett's room.

"I get why everyone is worried, I'm not stupid contrary to Damon's belief… I know that Kol is unstable and I should have never got involved with him let alone let it continue but it has and I just want to feel something for a while. I know that this won't last and someone is going to get hurt. No matter what I may feel for Kol my family comes first, I know that and so does he but I just want to be a normal teenage girl having a relationship kind of thing with a cradle snatching creature of the night guy for just a little while during all of this craziness. I know I'm being stupid –" Scarlett began.

"Your not stupid, it's understandable. Nothing in your life has been normal because of Damon and I so of course your not going to develop feelings for someone normal and you should know that I don't hate you Scarlett, never have and never will."

"You don't?" Scarlett questioned her voice crackling with emotion as this was the last thing she was expecting as Stefan was still kind of half on the boat with the whole good/bad thing. Despite having his freedom back from Klaus, he had yet to fully turn the switch back on fully or maybe he had? It seemed like it…

"No."

"Really?" Scarlett and the waterworks were already starting and she didn't care, here Stefan was not judging her about this Kol thing, not disowning her but being here for her when things got really bad and catching her once more when her world was threatening to fall apart. If she had to give anyone an award for being her hero this entire year; without a doubt it would be Stefan.


	82. Chapter 82

_So a new chapter! Sorry it's been so long but i've been sick the last two weeks and i've kind of wanted to take my time with the last few chapters of season three because i needed to pace things out as i need to see like the first five episodes of season 4 to figure out how to work Scarlett in. So the next few chapters will be weekly or every two weeks, at the moment i'm going to focus more on the aftermath of the whole Scarlett/Kol thing and you'll see Matt's reactions along with an interesting conversation with Scarlett and Elena then one with Scarlett and Klaus, which will be filled with their usual witty banter and you'll see what Klaus thinks of Scarlett's relationship with Kol. Most of you will probably guess how that goes... I'll also be more focusing on Alaric's killer alter ago and given what we all know inevitably happens at the end of the season, there may be a possible reconciliation between Scarlett and Damon but note that i said **maybe**, i haven't made my mind up about it yet it all depends on how season 4 goes but in the next chapter there will be a 'mini treaty' between the two of them because of this whole bloodlines thing and a brief fuzzy moment because of it being one year since Damon killing Zach. Hint to one of the lines in the next chapter **"I will never forgive you for that."** Could be Scarlett or Damon but then it could be someone else. Kol will of course make the occasional appearance in particular on Scarlett's eighteenth birthday and there will be a very interesting conversation between him, Damon and Stefan in regards to Scarlett, in which Damon will show the true depths of how much Scarlett means to him but Kol will also be bringing something to the table and he'll deliver a very interesting response to something Damon says, something along the lines of **"You are sadly mistaken, if you think you are the only ones here who care for her." **_and _**"I have no intention of doing such a thing, it's not my choice. It's hers..."**_ _It's all getting very interesting...  
_

* * *

Scarlett sat in her bedroom half reading a book, she had lost interest in her book a long while ago but she was forcing herself to read it in an attempt to pass the time because she really didn't want to go downstairs and run into Damon again. The two of them were at the odds over this whole Kol thing and Damon had made his opinion on the entire perfectly clear and Scarlett just didn't want to see or talk to him because he was being a massive jerk and hypocrite in her opinion. So the two of them weren't talking term not that Scarlett cared in the slightest, as far as she was concerned Damon could go screw himself. Although Scarlett was surprised about how Stefan was acting about this entire thing, he was almost the clam and rational guy he was a year ago which knocked Scarlett for six as she was expecting him to lose his temper too and yell at her but he didn't. Partly because it was the one year anniversary of Zach's death and the other half was because he understood the whole falling for someone who you shouldn't.

"Hey stranger!"

"Caroline… What are you doing here?" Scarlett questioned as she saw Caroline standing in the doorway of her bedroom, it was quite a shock as Scarlett wasn't expecting to see anyone today but here Caroline was.

"Stefan called me and asked me to come over as you were back in town." Caroline said as she made her way over to the bed and sat down next to Scarlett.

"Oh… I'm guessing he told you where I've been the last couple of hours or rather who I've been with…" Scarlett said sheepishly.

"Yeah he did and I knew you were a badass but Kol, seriously? The last thing I would have expected you to do was to go get a boyfriend as your all into that being independent stuff but you getting together with a vampire and an original vampire none the less if just, wow…" Caroline said in a teasing manner and Scarlett felt herself go red all over and she covered her face with her hands as she leant her head against Caroline's shoulder.

"He's not my boyfriend Caroline."

"Oh, really? And why don't I believe that?" Caroline stated in a deadpan manner.

"I see what your trying to do Care and I'm not going to fall for it, I'm not going to let you trick me into admitting that Kol is my boyfriend…" Scarlett stated before realizing her mistake. "Damn it Caroline!"

"So he is your boyfriend, I knew it!"

"I don't know, it's really complicated to put it lightly as he is an thousand year old vampire whose family we're trying to kill or not kill and all that other nonsense not to mention that I've only know Kol for like a week and things have spun so far out of control but he makes it seem okay. With him I'm not afraid not to mention he is a very good kisser despite how old he is so if you want to call him my boyfriend then go right ahead. I won't make anymore objections to it given that everyone seems to be labeling Kol as my boyfriend…" Scarlett wearily said before turning to Caroline. "Why are you here Caroline?"

"I told you already silly, Stefan called and asked me to come over as he figured that you needed a friend of a female variety as I'm pretty sure he feels weird talking about your love life given that you are his niece." Caroline explained.

"Who'd have thought that in less than a year that we would have stopped hating each other and becoming friends and we talking about my love life issues? Funny how things can change in a year all because of two vampires…" Scarlett said with a small sigh.

"Speaking of vampires you aren't sleeping with Kol, right? I asked Stefan and he said he didn't know and then he kind of got this weird awkward look on his face and I wasn't exactly sure whether that was a yes or no I just figured that he was really uncomfortable with me asking him about your sex life given the whole he's your uncle whose older than you but physically looks the same age as you."

"Dear god Care, did you seriously ask him that? Stefan may look like a teenager but he's not, he's my creature of the night uncle and I can tell you for certain that he has no interest in my sex life. And to answer your question, no I haven't slept with Kol and I don't plan to anytime soon. So now that we've established the fact that I'm still a virgin and plan to be for a while longer, can we move on please?" Scarlett questioned.

"Sure, what do you want to talk about?"

"Why are you so calm about this? So far Stefan is being the only person kind of on my side but he's always tended to be like that whilst Damon left me to die in Kansas and had practically disowned me and stated his hatred of me and I've got a feeling that everyone else is going to be like that. What I'm trying to say is, why aren't you mad and upset about any of this?"

"Stefan and Elena told me about what happened in Denver and Kansas, for the record Damon had no right doing what he did to you And truthfully you shaking up with Kol is kind of the last thing we need right now given this whole bloodline thing–"

Scarlett snorted. "Care, like you can ever talk… Klaus is obsessed with you, well infatuated with you big time so I'm not the only one with original vampire problems. And don't even try to pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about because I saw you at the ball and I've sent that drawing he did of you!"

"Don't remind me of that, please…" Caroline said with a small shake of her head.

"Who'd have thought we'd have so much in common? Dead fathers and being pursued by a pair of original vampire brothers." Scarlett quietly said.

"Yeah, that's depressing but we're not here to talk about our similarities or my problems but we're here to talk about you Scarlett and like I was saying, who am I to judge Scarlett? C'mon you remember how shallow and vapid I used to be and I slept with Damon, got turned into a vampire, dated Matt before breaking up with him and then got involved with Tyler. I'm not perfect Scarlett, I'm far from it just like you. I know what it's like, falling for someone who your friends hate i.e. you not being the biggest fan of Tyler but I see good him just like I figure I'm guessing you see something like that in Kol and he did after all save your life, so he can't be all bad." Caroline pointed out.

Scarlett felt a hug lump in her throat, Caroline was being so great to her when she didn't deserve it. "I don't deserve to have you as a friend Caroline."

"What are you talking about now Salvatore? When I Katherine killed me and I transitioned into a vampire my entire life came crashing down all around me and I had no idea what I was becoming or what was going on but you were there for me. We weren't even properly friends, yet you were there for me and helping me to cope and adjust with all of this when I was falling apart. When Bonnie was ignoring me because of what I was, you were the one who stood up for me and defended me to her. You were a friend to me when I didn't deserve you after everything I had done to you in the past Scarlett and even after that you step up when I need, like when my mom found out about me, then my dad and when he died. I never had to ask because you were always there through the good and the bad…"

"Caroline…"

"Don't say things like you don't deserve me because you're my friend and it doesn't matter to me whether your falling in love Kol, your one of my best friends and so I'm going to be here for you always. Just like you're always here for me especially today of all days Stefan told me about Zach and I'm sorry. He died saving me after Damon tried to kill me, I was still under Damon's compulsion and I couldn't help myself when he asked me to open the door…" Caroline said and Scarlett couldn't help but sniffle.

"I miss him so much. He was the closest thing I had to a father but it wasn't your fault Caroline, it was all Damon's fault. You didn't deserved to be used like that and Zach didn't deserve to die the way that he did but I'm glad that he saved you." Scarlett replied.

"You need anything, just let me know. I'm not going anywhere, I'll be here as long as you need me."

"I doubt Matt's going to come up with a speech similar to the one you made he must be pissed about this Kol thing." Scarlett noted with a heartfelt sigh.

Caroline scoffed. "What can Matt really say Scarlett? Rebekah's got a thing for him and he's been flirting with her to a certain degree so it would be hypocritical for him to be mad with you and if he is you can play the bad heart card and I'll play the dead ex girlfriend card and it'll all be fine…""

"Hey Care?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for everything… Now I can't ask Kol about the bloodlines and who you, Stefan and Damon are descended from. I won't ask him because we don't talk about that stuff when we're together and even if I did ask he wouldn't tell me for obvious reasons but I will do everything I can to save you and to save Tyler…"


	83. Chapter 83

Scarlett stood in her backyard and the looked at the ground in front of her; after Caroline had left she finally ventured out of bedroom and came outside. That was over an hour ago. To somebody who didn't know any better they would probably assume that Scarlett was just looking at a patch of grass but it wasn't the grass that interested Scarlett, it was what was under the grass or who was under the grass that mattered. Zach was there or rather his body, given that no one knew Zach was dead he couldn't be buried in the family crypt so Stefan and Damon buried him in the backyard late one night. Scarlett found it hard to believe that it had already been a year. As Scarlett stood there she noticed that Klaus of all people was making his way out of the house and towards her.

"Red Riding."

"What are you doing here Mr. Wolf?" Scarlett said getting straight to the point because things never bode well when he came over to the house. Usually threats and insults were exchanged not to mention the odd occasional death so Scarlett wasn't exactly pleased to see him today of all days.

"My brother asked me to give these to you, said something about them being relevant to you on today of all days and you'd understand." Klaus said pulling out a small bouquet of white calla lilies from behind his back much to the surprise of Scarlett, not just because of the flowers but the meaning behind them. They weren't for her, the lilies were for Zach. "I also wanted to have a chat with you about him."

"Is that so?" Scarlett questioned in mild amusement, as she took the flowers this was going to be interesting to say the least not to mention rather amusing but all that aside Scarlett was curious as to what Klaus had to say on this matter.

"You know if I'm honest–"

"–You honest? That's a first!"

Klaus couldn't help but smirk. "If I'm honest, finding out you and my brother was something I wasn't expecting to hear although I was fully aware of the attraction between of you. Well it obvious to everyone… There's something about you and Kol that just seems right, which is odd given my brother is a vampire and you are a human."

"So everyone feels the need to keep reminding me despite the fact that I'm fully aware of what myself and Kol are, so I don't need to be reminded yet again. So just say what you want Klaus and be on your way as I kind of have a few things that I need to be doing today."

"Don't break my brother's heart." Klaus said quietly and it actually stunned Scarlett as that was the last thing that she ever expected Klaus to say to her and judging by the solemn look and the quiet tone in his voice, he was being serious about it.

"Then don't let him break mine." Scarlett retorted.

"You can't break a heart that's already broken."

"Cheap shot." Scarlett quipped which caused the two of them to laugh even though both Scarlett along with Klaus knew that someone was going to get hurt in all of this, someone's heart was going to get broken in all of this. Most likely Scarlett's but she found it somewhat nice that Klaus actually cared about his brother and his well being. Klaus wasn't like Damon who expressed contempt and made his disapproval about Scarlett and Kol's relationship clear but Klaus seemed receptive of it, hell he had kind of given it his approval. Not that Scarlett needed it.

"Couldn't help myself sweetheart, you tend to bring out in me." Klaus quipped which caused Scarlett to roll her eyes in bemusement, she was actually rather fond of the big bad hybrid when he wasn't causing mayhem. "Can I make an observation?"

"Sure go right ahead Wolfy…" Scarlett said idly waving her free hand.

"You and my brother seem to have a lot in common with a rather famous couple, perhaps you've heard of them? Romeo and Juliet… _Two households both alike in dignity, in fair Mystic Falls where we lay scene, from ancient grudge break to mutiny, where doppelgänger, vampire and hum blood makes not so civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, a pair of star crossed lovers, vampire and human take their life. Whose misadventur'd piteous overthrows, do with their death bury their families strife. The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love, and the continuance of their families rage, which but their loved ones end naught could remove, is now the two hours traffick of this town. The which if you with patient ears attend, what here shall miss our toil shall strive to mend –"_ Klaus recited.

"Nice attempt but I much prefer the original if I'm being honest." Scarlett said.

"But you do see the similarities." Klaus stated with a smirk on his face, making it clear that he was enjoying this.

"Yes and that's all that they are, I have no intention of doing things Romeo and Juliet style given that I have no intention on dying for anyone especially not your brother. I kind of like being alive and I have a mile stone birthday coming up next week. Busy busy, so I don't have time to be killing myself." Scarlett quipped.

"You know Red Riding, not once since I've been here have you asked me about Kol and his whereabouts." Klaus stated.

"If I wanted to know then I would have asked but at the moment I couldn't exactly care less where Kol is, he's a big boy and can take care of himself and if you haven't noticed the two of us aren't exactly attached to the hip. If I want to know where he is then I'll ask him. More importantly my world does not revolve around your brother!" Scarlett retorted in a rather prissy manner as she was not one of those girls whose entire life revolved around their boyfriend and she would prefer it if people didn't think that.

"So you've made that very clear, I'll be on my way now Red Riding but remember what I've said, I'm sorry for your loss…" Klaus said with a small nod of his head before walking away and leaving Scarlett alone once more, it was without a doubt the oddest conversation that she had with Klaus although none of their conversations were exactly normal. But now that he was gone Scarlett went back to what she was doing before Klaus interrupted her and that was looking at Zach's unmarked grave. Bending down Scarlett laid the flowers on the grass, taking the card that was with them and tucking them into her back pocket before standing back up. The flowers were beautiful, Scarlett made a note mentally to thank Kol the next time she spoke to him.

"So what did your brother in law want?"

Scarlett looked up from the ground to see Damon there and she just rolled her eyes at the brother in law comment given how stupid it was. "You tell me? I'm pretty certain that you were eavesdropping just like you always do…"

"Can you blame me? After this little stunt you've decided to go and pull–" Damon began.

"–Just stop! I get it your mad and you think I'm being stupid and you can tell me that however many times you like, just not today. I can't deal with your condescending attitude today of all days because today isn't about the two of us and our issues, today is about Zach. It's all about remembering him! What you did to him!" Scarlett snapped in an irritation.

"How many times do I have to say I'm sorry?" Damon demanded.

"Until you actually mean it although it'll never happen in my lifetime Damon but why bother? You'll never be sincere about murdering Zach. I will never forgive you for that. For what you did to him, what you did to me!" Scarlett said and after that the two of them fell into a very awkward silence

"You hate me." Damon said finally breaking the silence.

"You hate me." Scarlett replied and her voice actually crackled as she said this, the whole downside to this Kol thing was that it was putting her at odds with Damon, the one person who completely got her. The one person who she felt never judged her and accepted her exactly the way she was. She didn't like it when they didn't talk but she couldn't forgive him.

"Red–"

"It's fine. You can hate me all you like and I can hate you. But we're still family, the three of us… You, me and Stefan. We're no normal family and we don't behave like we are normal, we screw up and yell, get mad at each other all the time especially when it comes to relationships. But my family comes first, he understands that. Just like I understand his family is important to him, my family will always come before him… If I have to chose between him and saving my family, then it will be you and Stefan…"

"Your willing to do that Red?" Damon questioned.

"Why ask when you already know the answer to that question?" Scarlett quietly replied only to be taken off guard when she felt an arm around her shoulder

"Let's be normal for the day. You, Stefan and I will make dinner, we'll watch movies and talk about Zach and we can all go back to hating each other tomorrow…"


	84. Chapter 84

_Just a quick update to tide you all over till i figure out how t approach the next few chapters._

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Stefan stood by the doorway of Scarlett's bedroom and watched as the teenager slept, it was the first time all day that it looked like she had any piece as not only had Scarlett had to deal with it being the one year anniversary of Zach's death but also come home and deal with the fallout of this whole Kol business after everything that happened in Colorado and Kansas. Then there was the fact that Damon and Scarlett were currently not speaking and had a huge argument when Scarlett first came home. It was never a good thing when the two of them weren't on speaking terms, which just made today even harder for the teenager. One uncle was the dead, the other one was refusing to talk to her unless he had to and then there was him, the uncle who was constantly worried.

"You might want to take up some new hobbies Stefan as brooding and watching Red sleep are just a tad bit creepy." Damon said as he made his way over to Stefan.

"I'm just making sure Scarlett's okay, it's been a hard day for her." Stefan replied choosing not to look at Damon, instead looking at Scarlett who had just rolled over in her sleep and was now facing the two of them.

"So that merits watching her sleep, what are you so worried about? That she'll try and kill herself again?" Damon scoffed and Stefan chose not to answer as that was actually in the back of his mind, it was always at the back of his mind as after Scarlett tried to kill herself last year he was worried that something else would cause her to snap and try again. Like today. "Wait… You actually think that she would?"

"I don't know, maybe…" Stefan admitted, given that he was never sure of anything that went on in Scarlett's mind. The teenager was the most guarded person that he had ever come across, she was pretty secretive about a lot of things except for when she was upset and angry about something and made her feelings pretty clear via her mood swings and tempers.

"It's been a year, if Red was going to try again I think she would have tried already." Damon sarcastically said.

"It's not that simple, it's never that simple with Scarlett and you know that or rather you would if you had been there that night." Stefan retorted.

"How bad was it?"

"Our then sixteen year old niece find the body of the only person whose ever been there for her, then beg me to save Zach's life even though we both knew there as nothing I could so as we both know I was gone. Later on I found her lying on the couch unconscious surrounded by the booze and pills she swallowed. I could feel her dying Damon and once I saved her I had to watch her struggle to cope through the day to then fall apart at night. So it's safe to say it was pretty bad and then you remember us getting the news about her heart." Stefan replied.

"You really think that she'd try again?" Damon questioned.

"I don't know, Scarlett may be coping on the outside but what the inside Damon? You know her perhaps better than I do and I know she doesn't get over things like this, it's been almost ten years since Gabriel killed himself and she is not over it and she is nowhere near being over Zach death. Take a good look at Scarlett's life, most of her family is dead, her mother lives with another man out of town and she lives with her two vampire uncles. She's spent her whole life knowing about the supernatural, but she's dealing with hybrids, witches, vampires and serial killer alto egos and a bad heart all at the age of seventeen. As much as I hate to say this, I wouldn't blame her for wanting to escape all of this…" Stefan said.

Damon scoffed as he moved past Stefan and made his way into Scarlett's room. "You don't give Red nearly enough credit."

"Would you mind keeping the noise down? Otherwise you'll wake her up and given everything she's gone through the last couple of days and the fact that her health is at risk if she doesn't get enough sleep I'd like Scarlett to sleep." Stefan quietly hissed as Scarlett turned over once more and quietly cursed in Italian.

"Red's out like a light, I crushed a sleeping pill into her hot chocolate I figured that the kid deserved a good night sleep without any interruptions, so relax she isn't waking up anytime soon." Damon said as he walked around the room and as he did, exchanged glares with Lucrezia and following Damon's lead Stefan reluctantly walked into Scarlett's room. The room itself was a reflection of Scarlett herself, there books and music sheets everywhere along with the typical teenager items like a computer and school books. "You know I've only actually ever been in here like a dozen times, Red doesn't like me being in here for some reasons where as she's coming and going from my room constantly."

"It is her house Damon she can come and go into whatever room she wants whereas she allows us to live her." Stefan said as he walked around Scarlett's room before stopping at her desk. There were pictures of her throughout her childhood documenting the few normal times she had in her life scattered all over, there were some with her grandparent, Zach and her dad In particular a photo of six year old Scarlett sitting in her dad's lap and reading a book. A few photos were of her and Zach ranging from the ages of ten to sixteen, one of them Stefan recognized as he took it the summer he came back to Mystic Falls. The photographs then changed, there were some of Scarlett with friends like the one Stefan was looking at of her and Matt, the two of them at work and pulling funny faces. Then ones with Caroline, then Caroline and Matt and even some with Elena and Bonnie but the one that really caught Stefan's eye was the one with of him, Damon and Scarlett. It was taken months ago before Klaus and Elijah came to town and the three of them got along for the most part. Caroline had taken a photo of them with Scarlett's camera and the three of them were outside somewhere and Scarlett was standing in the middle of Stefan and Damon with her arms around them and a bright smile on her face. They all looked happy, they looked like a family. "I don't like seeing her like that Damon, she deserves to be happy."

Damon stopped where he was and looked at Stefan as if he had two heads. "You don't think I know that? Red deserves to be happy but not with Kol of all people. She's being completely stupid not to mention reckless…"

"You may not like Damon but you need to cut her a break especially after you left her in Kansas." Stefan pointed out neglecting to mention that Kol could have killed her but instead he brought her back instead.

"I am cutting her a break, I'm still mad with her I just figured I'd give her a break for the rest of the day given what today means to her." Damon said with a small eye roll. "But are you seriously telling me that you don't have a problem with Red over there playing girlfriend and boyfriend with an original vampire, Kol none the less."

"It's not my business, like Scarlett said Damon we cannot tell her whom she can and cannot fall love with. The two of us should know that better than anyone." Stefan grimily noted with a sigh.

"So you think she is falling in love with Mini Klaus?" Damon asked in a half amused tone.

"I do but I don't even think Scarlett realizes that she's falling in love with him and you can't say anything to her Damon, you keep telling her that and she'll keep denying it. She needs to figure it out on her own." Stefan said as he sat down on the armchair in the corner of Scarlett's room.

"You know this won't well, right? Her heart will be broken worse then it already it or even worse she could die and you think it's fine to let this thing continue?" Damon questioned.

"I'm perfectly aware of the ricks Damon but we can't exactly lock her in her room for the rest of her life, you could get away with a week if your lucky and play the teenager card but in a week she'll be a legal adult and Scarlett won't have to listen to you anymore. If she gets hurt then we'll be there for her, other than that you just have to accept this." Stefan replied.

"Accept it? That's all your worldly advice is to accept it?"

"For once in her life she wants to be like any normal teenage girl and the closest Scarlett gets to that is falling in love with a vampire so yeah all I'm going to tell you is accept it. She deserves what happiness she can get even if we both know it won't last…"


	85. Chapter 85

_So a new chapter for you all, sorry it's taken so long but it's been hard to put things together as i'm trying to figure out how to approach season four. Anyway there's next to nothing Damon and Scarlett interaction but i promise there will be a lot of it in the next chapter for obvious reasons and things between will start getting better but it's going to take sometime but the events of next chapter gives them the push they need. The next chapter is going to be very emotional but i'm not going to spoil it for any of you as it's all getting really exciting so keep your eyes peeled on sunday. If i get this next chapter done by then and i already have the bulk of it in my head and i've written like five hundred words then there's a good possibility it'll be up sometime on sunday! Which will no doubt be a good thing to all of you!  
_

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Scarlett sat on the floor of her bedroom going through an old box, which she had dug out from the attic minutes ago, tonight was the night of the decade dance and instead of being the 70's like it was supposed to be it had been changed to the 20's. Not that Scarlett was complaining given that she didn't even want to go but Caroline wanted to go and because of that reason alone Scarlett had to come to not to mention it would get her out of the anti social funk she had been in according to Caroline. Ever since Kansas and the Zach thing, if Scarlett wasn't at school or work then she's be in her room. Mostly because she was still avoiding Damon and the rest of her problems. Like the fact they had been forced to hand over all of the white oak stakes and Alaric's evil alter ago. But Caroline had told Scarlett she couldn't hide in her room forever and if ever there was a time to get into the swing of things then it would be the night of a decade dance.

"Hey…"

Looking up from the box Scarlett saw Stefan standing in the doorway of her room and she smiled. The two of them were kind of back to normal, back to how they were during last summer when everything wasn't falling apart and the two of them hadn't become lost. But here they both were, somewhat happy and on the right path. "Hey Uncle Stefan!"

"What are you up?" Stefan asked as Lucrezia got up from Scarlett's bed and made her way over to him much to Scarlett's bemusement.

"Looking for a dress for tonight, everyone else is going to the costume shop but I wanted an authentic dress from the twenties so I went up to the basement. Nonna always kept bits and bobs from each decades, well the stuff from the twenties belonged to her mother but I found some pretty cool dress and thank goodness for good genes. If I wasn't the same size as Nonna Helene and her mom then I'd be in trouble." Scarlett chuckled as she held up a navy and silver flapper dress.

"You going with anyone?" Stefan questioned and Scarlett knew he was trying best not to downright ask if Kol was coming. Despite the fact Stefan was so accepting of the whole thing, the two of them made an effort to not talk about Kol if Damon was in the house as that only lead to raised voices, doors being slammed and someone storming off angrily.

"Caroline. Everyone's got dates to the dance and Tyler's out of town and Kol is god knows where so we'd figured that we'd go together, make it a girls night out." Scarlett replied.

"Have you heard from Kol?"

Scarlett frowned slightly and waited a moment before she spoke. "Not until this morning. He wanted to give me some space to let me deal with everything going on here before he called as he knew there was going to be some fallout and then the whole Zach thing which I needed time to deal with. He called me this morning but I was at the hospital with Dr. Parker so I couldn't talk…"

"What did Dr. Parker say, is everything okay?" Stefan questioned as he walked further into Scarlett's room and sat down on the armchair in her room and Lucrezia followed him and jumped into his lap as soon as he sat down.

"For the most part. My heart looks good but blood pressure is little high and Dr. Parker keeps telling me that I need to stop getting so worked up because it's not good for me but he doesn't understand what goes on in my life. Things still haven't settles down since Kansas and it looks like it won't any time soon." Scarlett wearily said.

"He'll come around." Stefan said and it was clear who we was talking about. Damon. He was still pretty pissed about the entire thing and made no secret of it, telling everybody that Scarlett was 'shacking' up with an original vampire. Scarlett had seen Damon mad plenty of times but he had never behaved like the way he was currently behaving before.

"No he won't." Scarlett said with a shake of her head.

"Yes he will, he just needs time. It was a lot for him to take in and you know that Damon doesn't deal well with shock and surprises being sprung on him." Stefan said in a reassuring manner.

"I didn't expect any of this to happen Uncle Stefan. When it comes to my life something like this never crossed my mind. I never think of the finer details just the bigger picture like I know my life is going to end up on of three ways. The first is that I'm killed because of all this supernatural stuff; the second is that I'll end up becoming a vampire and lastly I'll somehow manage to live to see my children and grandchildren before my own eyes and have to pass down the dark family secret. The big question is, which one of the three will it be? You and Uncle Damon are trying like hell to make sure the first two options will never happen but this is Mystic Falls and as you well know, anything could happen…" Scarlett began as she got up off the floor and placed her great grandmother's dress on the bed before turning to face Stefan. "Take Alaric, his wife who he thought he was dead turned out to be a vampire, he discovered he had a step daughter and his girlfriend was turned into a vampire and killed in a sacrifice and now he's got a killer alter ego. I don't think he imagined his life turning out like this when he was a bright eyed history major at Duke…"

"Scarlett…" Stefan began.

"I'm worried about Alaric."

"He's worried about you too."

"I don't want anything to happen to him because I like Ric he's a nice guy and a great teacher whose had so much happen to him with Isobel and Jenna. But also because of Damon, Ric is the only true friend that Damon has ever had not that he'll openly admit that and if anything happens to Alaric, it'll kill him. With us not being on the best of terms with Damon at the moment, I'm really worried at the moment. I worried about everything…" Scarlett admitted.

"I know."

"Not that I'll admit it to his face since he's being a complete jerk not to mention the whole leaving me in Kansas which I'm still not over but whatever I have to get to ready for the dance but I'll see you later." Scarlett said and Stefan gave a her small before getting up from his chair and leaving. For a while Scarlett just sat there, when she told Stefan she was worried about everything that was kind of an understatement of the century given that Scarlett had that feeling in her stomach again. That feeling that something bag was going to happen and it always did. It was just a matter of what was going to happen. Repressing her feelings Scarlett began getting ready for the dance and when she arrived at the gym, she was surprised at how great the decorations were. It was like something out of the Great Gatsby.

"Wow! You at you Scar, you look beautiful." Matt said as he made his way over to Scarlett and hugged her.

Scarlett gave Matt a small smile. "So do you Matt, I still can't believe that your talking to me despite everything. I would have understood if you didn't want to speak to me after Damon dropped my rather big bombshell"

"I told you Scarlett, I just want you to be happy although I would prefer it if it wasn't with the guy who crushed my hand. Not to mention you weren't exactly receptive of Caroline when we became friends so I'm going to take a page out of your book, I'll make an effort for you or at least try to." Matt quipped.

"I don't deserve to have you Matt, your such a good friend." Scarlett replied leaning forward and placing a kiss on Matt's cheek.

"Well if you want to pay me back then feel free to cover my next shift!" Matt joked before excusing himself to go check on the refreshments table leaving Scarlett alone to watch everyone dance and have a goodtime.

"The two of you look real chummy, I told you Matt wasn't going to hate you over this Kol thing. You should have listened to me Salvatore because I'm usually right about these kind of things but no you said he'd be mad when he so wasn't mad Scarlett!"

Scarlett laughed as she looked to her and saw Caroline standing there looking the like cat ate the canary. "Yes you were right, Matt took rather well surprisingly I thought he'd be really be mad as I know I'd be if the roles were reversed but then again Matt is the universal good guy whereas I'm not. I wish there more guys like that in the world but then again that's what makes Matt one in a million, because he's one of the few genuinely nice guys left. He's willing to give Kol a chance despite my crazy ass boyfriend crushed his hand... It's unbloody believable and to think I used to see Matt as a dumb jock…"

"He's been a good influence on the two of us." Caroline noted and the two of them looked at each other before bursting out laughing. There was nothing particularly funny to begin with but the two of them had a crummy few months and found that laughing for new reason made things a bit bearable.

"Care to dance Ms. Forbes?" Scarlett offered holding out a hand towards Caroline as they did come here to dance after all.

"I'd love to." Caroline exclaimed taking Scarlett's hand and before she knew it the two of them were on the dance floor dancing away and laughing with the rest of their classmates. It felt normal to Scarlett; it felt like something to regular teenager girls would do on a Friday night, living their lives and having a good times. Especially given everything that had happened recently, they deserved to have a night of simple and harmless fun without worrying about vampires or hybrids and bloodlines. All Scarlett could remember thinking was 'this is what it means to live' as Caroline spun her around and when Scarlett stopped she was surprised to see Kol standing about a yard away from her.

"May I have this dance?" Kol asked and Scarlett was flabbergasted, she had no idea what to say as she was still in shock that Kol was here at a high school dance of all places so she turned to Caroline for some help given that her mind was complete jelly.

"Go for it!" Caroline encouraged pushing Scarlett forward, although with a bit too much force that Scarlett ended up stumbling into Kol who caught her and steadied her.

"You look beautiful gorgeous, that dress really brings out the colour of your eyes." Kol said.

"W-what are you doing here Kol?" Scarlett asked once her brain had finally reset itself, she had been so caught up with the fact that Kol was here that she didn't ponder the reason why he was here until now.

"Well you didn't return my call gorgeous and most of my day was free so I figured I'd pop down and see you but if I had known that I was coming to a themed event then I would have made an effort instead of turning up like this." Kol said motioning to his clothes which were the furthest thing ever from the 1920's, not that Scarlett cared in the slightest. She was so happy to see him.

"I don't mind. I'm sorry about earlier I just caught up in my thoughts and everything that's going around that I forgot to call you back. If I'd had known you worried so much then I may have called you back or not, if me not calling you back means you show up here then I think I'll stop calling you back!" Scarlett said with a small laugh.

"So what did the doctor say? How's that ticker of yours doing?"

"It's fine. There was nothing for you to worry about." Scarlett quipped. "And now that we've established the fact I'm perfectly fine here's where you would dazzle me with stories from the twenties."

"If I had any, you do remember that my brother was carting me around in a coffin during that time so how about I dazzle you with something else?" Kol said pulling Scarlett close to him and then dipping her. Scarlet could help laugh in a mixture of delight and shock at it all, she felt like she was on absolute high even more so when Kol leaned down and kissed her. After a few seconds Kol pulled away and brought Scarlett back.

"You think your pretty slick." Scarlett attempted to say with a straight face as the music changed from an up tempo song to a vastly slower one.

"Like you didn't love that." Kol retorted which caused Scarlett to give in and laugh, as she did Scarlett could see Elena frowning at the top of them but Stefan was smiling, which meant a lot to her. Despite everything that had gone on between this past year and no doubt the future drama that went on Scarlett knew that all Stefan would want for her was to be happy and Kol did that. The way her looked at her and they way he was with her in general, he made her feel things that she had never felt before. And Scarlett believed she knew why...

"This was a wonderful surprise, I'm glad to see you and thank you for the flowers Kol. It meant a lot…" Scarlett admitted. She didn't believe in love, not that kind of love anyway especially not with a guy she had known for two weeks but here Kol was and her feeling weren't going away. They were just getting stronger and Scarlett doubted she could deny the obvious for much longer. She was falling in love. Her of all people, falling in love and with a vampire none the less.

"I would have stayed with you but I thought it was best if I didn't as me and that Uncle Damon of yours don't exactly see eye to eye when it comes to you. After I'm done with you I might have to go find him…" Kol began.

"Don't Kol. It's complicated enough and I don't need you making things worse than they already are." Scarlett stated and she groaned as Kol took a step back clearly offended at what she just said so she took a step towards him and grabbed on to a piece of his shirt. "I didn't mean it like that. It's just that I know Damon, we're alike and I'm not just talking about the dark hair and the blue eyes. We're both mean and sarcastic people, we say what's on our minds and quite often we don't have boundaries. What I'm trying to say is that he's difficult just like I do and his problem is more to do with me then it is with you, so let me deal with it please?"

"Hmm. Your lucky I find you so irresistible…" Kol murmured as he started pressing light kissed down Scarlett's jaw line before moving down to her neck.

"Lucky isn't the word I'd use to describe the fact that you are unable to say no to anything that concerns me." Scarlett quipped in amusement until she saw Damon who was looking pretty pissed off with what was going on right in front of him. "Uncle Damon…"

"Red we have a problem, you need to come with me."

Scarlett looked from Damon to Kol and then back to Damon again, she wasn't sure what other problem there could be other than the fact she was pretty sure she falling in love with Kol.


	86. Chapter 86

Standing in the middle of Damon and Kol at the decade dance made Scarlett realize two things, the first was that she was in love with Kol, which was a very big problem. The second was that there was some big thing going on which was probably related to the bad feeling Scarlett had been having in the pit of her stomach all day. Whatever the situation was it was bad enough that Damon was coming over to ask for her help and ignoring the fact that Kol was here. It made Scarlett very worried but Damon needed her help and if that got her slightly back into his good graces then she'd go. "What's going on?" Scarlett asked.

"Not here." Damon replied as he eyes flickered briefly over to Kol, meaning that he wasn't willing to talk about this in front of Kol which meant that there was a possibility that this, whatever it was had something to do with the originals. Scarlett was now worried, more for Kol than anything given how his mother was out there and still out for his blood.

"What is your problem mate? Scarlett is big enough and old enough to do whatever she wants without having to get your approval…" Kol began taking a step towards Damon but Scarlett quickly turned around and placed her hands at the side of his face and forced him to look at her.

"Hey, listen to me… I know that this hasn't been easy, you're not just dealing with me but also my insane family. You're a thousand year old vampire and Damon is a child compared to you and I know your showing a lot of self restraint towards him because of me and I want to thank you for that. I know that you don't like him interfering with us and I wish things were easier for us but there not. But it is only through adversity that we will preserve… I know you risked a lot coming here to see me and I have to go but i will come back, just stay here and don't get into any trouble, kay?" Scarlett said placing a kiss on Kol's cheek before walking away with Damon but before they reached the doors Scarlett grabbed Damon's arm.

"What now Red?"

"Look you can go ahead and be pissed at me all you like, what do I care anymore? You will never approve of Kol but then again I don't need you to so you can say continue this little pissed of moon you've been in towards me. Nothing you can say or do will change any of this but you need to remember that Kol is very volatile and can easily kill you and he would do it in a heartbeat but he hasn't because of me. But you keep pushing him and one day I won't be enough to stop him, he will eventually push back and it'll be ten times harder…" Scarlett warned Damon.

"You don't think I don't already know that? But right now we've got bigger issues that my problems with who you chose to date, so come on already!" Damon said leading Scarlett out of the gym and into the hallway where Elena and Stefan were waiting.

"So we're all here now, what's the big problem Damon?" Stefan asked getting straight to the point.

"It's Alaric…" Damon began.

"Oh god, that explains it all." Scarlett said with a small shake of her head and Damon along with Stefan and Elena looked at her in a confused manner. "I had one of those feelings again, the ones I get just before something bad is about to blow up in our faces…"

"You had that feeling and you didn't tell us? Seriously, what is up with you and keeping things from us recently? Sometimes I have no idea who you are anymore Red!" Damon demanded.

"Hey! I didn't tell anyone because I've had a lot on my mind recently and it's not like it told me it was specifically about Alaric, it could have been about any of the ten million dramas that are currently going on this town so don't go pointing fingers at me!" Scarlett retorted.

"Cut it out both you! We don't need you two snapping at each other." Stefan began whilst Scarlett and Damon just chose to glare at each other. "What's wrong with Alaric Damon?"

"Those herbs Bonnie gave him to keep that alter ago of his in check? He's not taking them, told me this morning that he had been and that he was feeling fine but I went over to his place and I found them, the herbs hadn't even been touched. He's been lying to us this entire time, he's not been taken them. So we've got a bit of a problem, that alter ego could pop anytime and we are all possible targets if it decides to go on a killing spree again." Damon stated and Scarlett blanched as her stomach dropped to the ground.

"If Alaric is sick then we need to find a cure. Something." Elena stated swallowing a huge lump in her throat.

"We tried medicine, we tried magic." Damon drily replied.

"Why don't we get him off vervain, compel him?" Stefan suggested and Scarlett and Damon just looked at each other, they both knew that wouldn't work.

"To do what? To pretend to be Alaric? The guy that we know is gone. We're talking about someone who not only hates vampires, but vampire sympathizers. Which makes one of his most obvious targets, I don't know you!" Damon said directing the latter part of his statement towards Elena.

"What? You think he'd go after Elena?" Stefan questioned and Scarlett just sighed. She needed a drink. Too bad she didn't drink.

"So what are you suggesting we do?" Scarlett asked and the look Damon gave her practically told her everything she needed to do, that no one was going to like what he was about to suggest but then again they were kind of in a desperate situation so all and any possible ideas were welcome.

Damon took a deep breath before speaking. "I'm suggesting that we put him out of his misery."

"What?!" Elena asked flabbergasted.

"No, no way in hell!" A voice yelled and the four of them looked to see that it was Jeremy who had apparently been eavesdropping on their entire conversation.

"Oh come on, It's what he would want. It's a mercy killing." Damon said not sounding sympathetic in the slightest.

"You are out of your mind!" Jeremy yelled and for once Scarlett could sympathize with the guy, Damon's idea was crazy given what he was suggesting and how they were talking about killing Alaric but they were running out of options and Damon did have a point.

"Jeremy..." Elena began and Jeremy just turned around and left, with Elena quickly following behind him leaving the three Salvatore's alone to finish talking.

"He's right Damon." Stefan quietly said.

Scarlett felt nauseous like she was going to be sick but she had something to say on this matter and she had to say it not matter how painful it would be. "I hate to agree with Uncle Damon given how things are but he has a point. Don't get me wrong Uncle Stefan, I love Alaric but we are running out of options. In one body there is Alaric, the guy we all care about and evil Alaric the guy who kill any of us without blinking an eyelid. Like Uncle Damon said we've tried magic and medicine and neither of them worked. As much as it pains me to say this perhaps killing him would be best, that way Evil Alaric is gone and Good Alaric is no longer in pain and has to suffer from constantly losing people he cares about and continually getting injured and dying because of his involvement in the supernatural."

"I'm right Stefan as is Red–" Damon began.

"–But I think Alaric should have the final say in this, we can't plot to kill him like he means nothing to us. I think we should talk to him and let him decide, if he agrees to this then we'll do it, if not then we'll have to figure out some other way." Scarlett interrupted which caused all three of them to decide and they kept talking, weighing up pros and cons of going through a mercy killing until Jeremy came running up to them claiming that Esther had shown up and dragged Elena off somewhere. Scarlett along with Damon and Stefan followed Jeremy to where Esther had shown up but as they were walking Scarlett stopped as she couldn't see Damon and Stefan anymore and turning around. What she saw was honestly puzzling as there was a huge line of salt going around the school building and it seemed to be blocking Stefan and Damon from leaving the building. "What the hell?"

"Salt. It's the binding agent for her spell." Stefan said.

"We're trapped here." Damon began and Scarlett honestly felt like having a bit of a mental breakdown given how her uncles were trapped which meant Kol was also trapped too, then with Esther on the scene things didn't look too good.

"What do we do?" Scarlett asked.

"Go get your boyfriend, I think we're going to need him." Damon said and Scarlett just looked at him stunned before Damon motioned for her to leave and not needing to be told twice Scarlett went back into the building and ran back into the gym. It took Scarlett a minute to locate Kol but once she did, Scarlett rushed over to him and taking one of his hands in her own she began to drag him out of the gym.

"There you are gorgeous, for a moment I was starting to worry about you but what's with the rush?" Kol questioned.

"Come with me, I'll explain everything later but right now you need to come with me, Damon thinks you may be of some help to us…" Scarlett began trailing off towards the end of her statement. Her head was all over the place but she just reminded herself that she needed to focus as that was the only way she would be able to get Kol, Stefan, Damon not to mention Caroline out of the building.

"Scarlett what's going on?" Kol asked stopping in his step and turning Scarlett around in order to face him.

"It's your mom. Esther had resurfaced and she's done something involving salt and now Damon and Stefan can't go past which probably applies to you as well. She also had Elena and we know she's up to something, so we have to go…" Scarlett said turning back around and pulling Kol outside to the gym where Damon, Stefan and Jeremy were waiting.

"As much as I hate to ask you for help but we need your help to deal with your mother and we figured that–" Damon began.

" –I'd be more than happy to help? Anything that will result in the downfall of my mother I'm naturally in and my brother is here, you may want to ask if he wants to joins us too. He does after all have the most experience of dealing with mother's interfering ways." Kol replied and moments later they all disbanded, Damon went to go find Bonnie whilst Stefan went to go find Klaus whilst Jeremy along with Scarlett and Kol went to go get supplies and find an empty classroom. And once they did they waited until the rest of their part arrived including Bonnie's date Jamie and they watched as Bonnie tried to disarm Esther's spell.

"What's taking so long?! All boundary spells have a loop hole!" Klaus demanded in irritation just as Matt walked into the classroom.

"Hey, what's going on?" Scarlett asked in favour of ignoring Klaus.

"People are walking right out of the dance, past the barrier. It just seems to be there to prevent vampires from leaving." Matt said and Scarlett couldn't help but look over her shoulder to where Kol was standing closely behind her, with his hand lingering by her waist.

"Matt, Scarlett and I can leave, we can stop Esther ourselves. We just gotta find out where she is." Jeremy suggested.

"It's suicide, Jeremy. We won't let the three of you put yourselves at risk." Stefan said shaking his head but the Big Bad Klaus didn't seem to like that answer as he grabbed Bonnie's date Jamie by the throat and started to strangle him.

"Suicide would be disappointing me! Now work your magic, witch or I'll start killing people you fancy." Klaus threatened.

"Let him go!" Bonnie yelled.

Klaus smirked. "Not until you get us out of here."

"Ah, don't be stupid, Klaus. Bonnie doesn't give a damn about us. The only reason she's helping us right now is to save Caroline and Tyler. You start killing the people she cares about, she'll tell us all to go to hell." Stefan advised and ever so reluctantly Klaus dropped Jamie to the ground.

"We'll go. All we need to do is buy some time until Bonnie breaks this barrier and then you come to us and stop her. Ether is supposed to be a good witch, she's a servant of nature and I don't think she'll intentionally harm us as. Not is she's still sticking to her claims that she works for the greater good and all that nonsense." Scarlett began.

"Are you forgetting the fact that not only are you shaking up with one of her sons but you're on pretty friendly terms with all her remaining children? She won't hesitate to kill you Red!" Damon retorted.

"He's right Scarlett." Kol added.

"Then I'm trusting you to get there before she does." Scarlett replied with a small smile before leaving with Jeremy and Matt to collect some of the weapons that Alaric kept stashed at the school. They knew of no definite way to kill a witch but two guns and a crossbow could surely do the trick or at least attempt to. The three of them gathered their things together until Jamie came to collect them to bring them back to the classroom where they had all started off as apparently Bonnie had located Esther.

"So where are they?" Scarlett questioned.

"They're at the old cemetery. By our family crypt, you still remember the way right?" Stefan questioned and Scarlett nodded, of course she knew where the family crypt was. Not to mention she knew of a way that wouldn't take long especially if they took Scarlett's car and drove.

"Be careful." Damon warned.

"I'm a Salvatore, I don't exactly know the meaning of the word careful but I'll try, please don't take forever as I would like to reach my forthcoming eighteenth birthday." Scarlett wearily said before making her way to leave with Jeremy and Matt but on her way out she was stopped by Kol who offered his jacket, which Scarlett gladly took. The three of them then took off and made their way out of the building and over to Scarlett's car, to get to the tomb quicker she was going to have to drive pretty damn fast not to mention drive off road. It all sounded crazy but Scarlett told herself that she could do it. The drive was quicker than Scarlett expected it to be but then again she had blanked out pretty much most of the drive.

"Hey, it'll be okay." Matt assured her as they climbed out of the car and gathered their weapons.

"I'm just worried that's all. First time I've left Kol alone with Damon and Stefan. If Bonnie doesn't break that barrier spell soon, things aren't going to end well." Scarlett said half joking, half serious as she began to lead Matt and Jeremy over to her late family's tomb. She herself had been there a good two dozen times so she could easily navigate her way, even in the dark. They walked in the darkness until Scarlett saw touches burning brightly and by the shape of the tomb Scarlett knew that they had arrived and so she pointed it out to Jeremy and Matt. When they arrived they were met by Esther.

"Don't move!" Matt warned.

"Where's Elena?" Jeremy demanded and moments later Elena walked out.

"Jeremy!"

"Let her go!" Scarlett demanded.

"How foolish of you to risk your lives in defense of those who will kill you but if that's your choice…" Esther began and moments later Scarlett found her hands acting of her own accord and all of a sudden she was pointing her crossbow at Matt, he was pointing his gun at Jeremy and he was pointing his gun at Scarlett. This was not good in the slightest and Scarlett hoped like hell that Bonnie was damn close to breaking that barrier spell.

"Matt! Matt drop your gun!" Jeremy called out.

"I can't! I'm not controlling it!" Matt replied.

"Esther stop it!" Elena called out and the moments later everything stopped, Scarlett was now back in control of her arms and she lowered the crossbow just in time to see Esther's dead body drop to the ground, after being stabbed by Alaric of all people who seemed dazed and confused.

"Oh my god. Where's my ring? Tell me what happened." Alaric demanded and moments later they all gathered round as Elena explained everything that had happened, it kind of all went so fast and Scarlett had a hard time processing all the information but she could clearly remember the words the words vampire, hunter, original, dead, indestructible, stake. And that was all she clearly needed to know. She was stunned by this as was everyone mostly Alaric. Scarlett was soon distracted by the arrival of Kol and Klaus, the latter of which took their mother's body but Kol didn't go. Instead he stayed and Scarlett found herself draw over to him and in his arms as everyone else seemed to arrive. The entire night seem to go so quick and it soon came time for them to say goodbye to Alaric as he had decided not to complete his transition. They lit candles as a sort of goodbye/memorial to Alaric and if it wasn't for Kol being there with her Scarlett knew she would have fallen apart already.

"He wants to see you." Elena said as she came out of the tomb and Scarlett nodded as she tearfully detached herself from Kol's arms and made her way into the tomb, when she walked in Alaric looked up at her with a sad smile.

"Hey Ric…" Scarlett wearily began and she knew she was crying, she couldn't believe that this was happening especially to Ric of all people. "I c-can't believe this is happening, that Esther did this to you."

Alaric came and took a few steps towards Scarlett and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I know but it's going to be okay, I didn't expect this to happen but I've made my choice and I'm at peace with it. But Scarlett I need you to do something for me; it's about Damon. When I go, he's going to need you more then ever and I know I don't have to ask as you'll probably do it anyway but I need you to be there for him. Stop him from doing anything stupid and keep him in line when you think he's going to far. He'll listen to you…"

"He won't listen to me Ric, not with this whole Kol thing going on. Damon barely even talks to me right except for when he has to." Scarlett said as she tearily shook her head.

"Yes he will because he knows you always have his best interests in heart, he's mad about the Kol situation but it doesn't anything Scarlett. You're his niece, he'll listen…"

"Ric…" Scarlett hiccupped.

"You have no idea how important you are to Damon and that's probably his fault because he's not exactly good at conveying those kinds of emotions. But I know that you're aware of the fact that you are the one person in the world who he unconditionally trusts and would do anything for. He loves you Scarlett, very much so I need you to take care of him for me. I need you to promise me that you'll do that for me." Alaric questioned and Scarlett just nodded as the tears were coming so fast that she didn't trust herself to speak anymore so Alaric just hugged her. "You should go."

Reluctantly letting go off him Scarlett allowed Alaric to walk her to the doorway of the tomb and he stood there as she made her back to there the others were. Kol was standing far off in the distance, not too far that Scarlett couldn't see him but far enough to give them privacy so Scarlett went and stood in between Damon and Stefan. They stood there and watched as Alaric gave them one last smile before walking back into the tomb and shutting the door and Scarlett could barely contain her emotions. Soon enough everyone started to leave and then they were the hugs and the tears and pretty soon it was just Scarlett, Kol, Meredith and Damon. Scarlett waited until Meredith had left before she approached Damon.

"Hey… Scarlett wearily began.

"Right back at you."

"Uncle Damon, I get that you are mad at me and I would be too if I wasn't the one in this position and right now this isn't about the problems we're having; it's about you. I know you are hurting right now despite your efforts not to show it because your about to lose your best friend. You may not want me around at the moment but I'm going to be here if you need me because you are my Uncle and I love you. I will always be here for y-you, I don't care how it'll take." Scarlett wearily began wearily taking a few steps towards Damon and hugging him and being reluctantly surprised when he hugged her back.

"You look like her dressed like that. Amelia, I mean." Damon said changing the subject from the current situation to bring up Scarlett's great grandmother Amelia Salvatore. "I forgot to tell you that earlier."

"Thanks."

"Take her home." Damon said and Scarlett frowned in surprise as Damon clearly wasn't talking to her and she looked to see that Kol was standing behind her. Scarlett watched as something passed between the two of them and Kol nodded before holding out a hand towards her. Scarlett didn't want to leave but Damon gave her one of his old reassuring and affectionate pats on the head before motioning for her to leave. Ever reluctantly Scarlett took Kol's hand and she looked back at Damon one final time before leading them back to the boarding house. Scarlett never imagined this was how she's show Kol the inside of her house but it happened like this. When they arrived at the boarding house Scarlett lead Kol straight up to her bedroom.

"Do you want to talk about it?' Kol asked and Scarlett just shook her head as she made her way over to her chest of drawers and unzipped her dress in favor of getting changed into her pajamas. She would have told Kol to look away but she honestly didn't care right now if he saw her getting in her underwear so she got changed and went about removing her make up with a wet wipe.

"Do you want to talk about Esther?" Scarlett questioned.

"I'd rather not Darling, I'd prefer to talk about the two people in this picture, who are they?" Kol asked as he picked up a picture from Scarlett's desk and held it up to her before sitting down in her armchair and Scarlett slowly made her way over to see what photo Kol was looking at. When she got to Kol, he used his free hand to grab Scarlett and pull her into his lap.

"Nonni."

"Excuse me."

"It's means grandparents in Italian, that's my Nonno Edward and my Nonna Helene. They were married a month after they met and my grandfather was only nineteen and my grandmother was my age. Nonno Edward always told us that he fell in love my Nonna the first time he saw her and it wasn't just because of how beautiful he found her. He said that she had this air around her and radiated confidence from the way she held himself, Nonno Edward said within five minutes of meeting her he knew that Nonna was the woman he was meant to marry and spend the rest of his life with. They were the essence of true love and love at first sight…" Scarlett quietly said as she curled up closer to Kol, she liked being this close to Kol especially tonight of all nights as he made her feel safe and protected.

"What were they like?" Kol pressed.

"The loves of my life. I was pretty young when I lost them but I have lots of memories and home movies of them. Nonna Helene taught me to sing and made sure I knew of my Italian heritage and Nonno Edward encouraged my love of reading from a young age. The value of family and love. They spoiled me ridiculously because I was only grandchild, I never had to ask for anything in my life. Throughout my child hood I was spoiled…"

"You spoiled? I think not, if you were spoilt then you'd be a brat like my sister. I don't think you're spoiled in the slightest. I think your wonderful and very well persevered." Kol said as he pressed a kiss on Scarlett's shoulder and once he did Scarlett couldn't help but stifle a yawn.

"You're making me out to seem far better than I actually am." Scarlett mumbled.

"No I'm not and your tired gorgeous, you should get some sleep." Kol advised.

"I don't want to."

Kol quietly chuckled as he ran his hand up and down Scarlett's back. "Gorgeous I don't think you have much choice in the matter, the body wants what the body wants and right now that's sleep. Not that I would blame you…"

"Stay."

"Excuse me?"

Scarlett looked up so he could look at Kol directly and she placed a soft delicate kiss barely on his lips before climbing out of his lap and standing up in front of him holding her hand out. "Stay with me. Damon is with Alaric and Stefan is no doubt with Elena. I don't want to be alone tonight and I don't want you to leave. So please stay with me at least for tonight. I want you to stay with me Kol…"

"Okay." Kol replied taking the hand Scarlett offered hand and she lead him over to her bed where she helped him to get rid of most his clothing until he was just left in his boxers and taking his hand Scarlett climbed into her bed, taking Kol with her. Any awkwardness was never even present as Scarlett switched off the lights and laid down. Not long after the lights had gone out did Scarlett feel a wave of emotions come up and soon the tears began. She laid there in bed quietly crying until she felt Kol's' warm strong arms wrap round her wait and pull her in close to him. Their bodies fitting in perfectly together as if they were made to fit and the more tears that came, the closer Kol held her and it made Scarlett feel safe for the first time she could actually remember.


	87. Chapter 87

Scarlett woke in the morning finding herself to be extremely warm and not alone as Kol was laying beside her. At first Scarlett didn't know why he was here and in her bed with her of all places but then her memories of what happened last night came back to her. She remembered what happened with Esther and Alaric, more importantly bringing Kol home with her and falling apart. And apparently none of that seemed to scare him off and he was right here, watching her with his messy bed hair, one eye open and silly sort of grin on his face. "Hi…" Scarlett quietly said.

"Good morning beautiful."

"How'd you sleep?"

"Better than I have those hundred years my brother was carting me around in that incredibly stuffy coffin but then again I didn't have a beautiful woman curled up next to me all that time." Kol quipped.

"Saying you slept fine would have sufficed but thanks for the compliment, I really appreciate it. I appreciate everything you've done for me…" Scarlett said as she looked at Kol, whilst she practically cried all over him about Alaric last night he had yet to say anything about the death of his mother, or any of his other relatives. Finn was mentioned once briefly. But only when her Kol were having a screaming match with each other.

"Something is bothering you, I can tell… What is it?" Kol questioned.

"I'm sorry about Finn. I don't think I ever told you that. I know I'll never understand that loss as I'm an only child but I know what it's like to lost people you love; your family so I am sorry. I'm also sorry about Mikael and Esther, I didn't exactly know them well or how they were a thousand years ago but what I do know is that you all deserved better. Parents wanting to kill their children isn't right and I'm sorry that you had parents like that." Scarlett said.

"It doesn't matter." Kol replied.

"Yes it does."

"Not anymore. Kol said as he kissed Scarlett's forehead. "But enough about my family, I want to hear more about you and your family."

"I've told you about my family already and you've met half my crazy family so why would you want to know more?" Scarlett questioned, sometimes well most of the time she had no idea what was going with Kol.

Kol smiled. "No, you've told me about your grandparents and your Uncle Zach and I've met your other two uncles but you've barely mentioned your parents, you make comments about them occasionally but you never go into detail. I want to hear more about the people who made you into who you are."

"It's complicated."

"I've noticed that with you."

"Well my parents met whilst they were at college and they married about a year after they graduated and I came along about seven years later. My mom left and things with her are strained, because of her leaving and my dad killing himself I have these severe abandonment issues but we're working on it. She's not too bad, I don't know what I could tell you about her but my dad was great. I put him on a pedestal but he was the kindest and warmest man I have ever known. But in terms of them making me into who I am, I wouldn't look to them. I've always been odd and had an erratic personality but Damon and Stefan seemed to be influencing it more by the day…" Scarlett noted with a sigh, reflecting on how much her two vampire relatives had an effect on her. There was no denying that Scarlett was eerily similar to Damon in appearance and personality i.e sarcasm, temper and a general dislike of people and being the eternal pessimist but then there was Stefan. He had been more of a positive influence helping Scarlett with her compassion and teaching her to be more patient and how to connect with people.

"It's your birthday soon." Kol said moving things along.

Scarlett groaned and proceeded to hide her face in Kol's chest "Don't remind me, I don't want to think about my birthday. I can't believe I'm turning eighteen already, I feel way older than that. I feel like I've aged a hundred years these past fourteen months with everything that's happened…"

"Well think about it this way you'll never be as old as me." Kol replied and Scarlett lifted her head up to look at him and roll her eyes and as she did Kol lifted his hand up to brush a piece of Scarlett's hair out of her face. "What do you want for your birthday?"

"I don't know." Scarlett admitted, her birthday was in five days and she had no idea what she wanted, well in terms of gifts anyway. She did know that she wanted a better birthday than the one she had last year. "Surprise me."

"Okay gorgeous, I think I will." Kol said as he pulled Scarlett closer to him and started to pepper light and gentle kisses down her jaw line before finally settling on her lips

"How are you such a good kisser when you're so old? Forget I even asked because it's better for my sanity if I don't know how many girls you've been with before you met me…" Scarlett murmured quietly as Kol rolled her over so she was now laying on her back and he was laying on top, careful to spread his body weight so not to hurt her.

"Well I can't say the same about myself gorgeous, I told you I want to know everything about you and that includes any moronic and overly hormonal males you may have dated before I turned up."

"Only you, I'm afraid."

Kol stopped kissing Scarlett and instead chose to look at her and she could see the look of surprise in his face because of her last statement. "Really? I find that rather hard to believe beautiful."

"Well it's true. I'm not very liked in this town Kol and up until last year I didn't have any friends. I was alone with no friends and the only person I had was my Uncle Zach because I don't fit in this town. I'm too different and people always saw me as being the weird Salvatore girl and then my father died and it just got worse. It's part of the reason why I hate this town so much as they all isolated me when I was only eight years old, the only person I had for about nine years was Zach and it had a profound effect on me. As I got older I became more disenchanted with this town and end up like this…" Scarlett wearily admitted.

"There's nothing wrong with that, however there is something wrong with everyone else in this town if you they don't like you as I like you just the way you are and I would have been your friend all those years ago–" Kol began.

"–When I was eight years old? It's nice of you to say something like that but we're going to that creepy place where I'm reminded yet again that you are old enough to be my ten million times great grandfather." Scarlett said with a shake of her head. "Can I ask you something?"

"Go right ahead gorgeous."

"Why me?"

Kol quietly laughed as he wrapped his arms around Scarlett's waist and quickly rolled them both so they were both laying on their sides facing each other "Why you? Interesting question but I've told you already gorgeous. I was intrigued with you right from the very start, I woke up lying in a coffin and the first thing I see is you; more importantly your eyes. So clear and hauntingly beautiful and then I saw the rest of you. Those eyes of years went perfectly with that pale skin, your dark hair and your wonderful body. But it was more than just the way you looked, you weren't afraid to stand up to me and put me in my place. I like how it was hard to read you and you that you don't care that I'm an original. I find it very irresistible and sexy as hell…"

"Your not too bad yourself." Scarlett quipped and moments later Kol began tickling her and Scarlett just shrieked with laughter only stopping when Kol decided to stop. They had moved around again and Kol was back laying over so slightly over Scarlett with her long dark hair sprawled all over the pillowcase and the two of them just lay there looking at each other for a while before Scarlett decided to place a kiss on Kol's chest. "I like you having you here…"

"I like being here." Kol quietly replied as he allowed on of his hands to lightly trace the length of Scarlett's arm and then proceeding to lace his fingers with hers before kissing her full on the mouth. Things kind of took off on their own from there and Scarlett could feel herself getting lost in the midst of all the kissing, the caressing and all the intense passion that just never seemed to disappear just kept building up. Until Kol pulled away. It was like he could tell she wasn't ready for the next step without her having to say it aloud which Scarlett really appreciated.

"I'm glad that you like being here." Scarlett admitted as she lay on Kol gently tracing over his face with her fingers.

"Can I ask you something now?" Kol questioned and Scarlett raised a brow, she wasn't sure why she was so surprised as this was Kol and he liked asking her an awful amount of questions. Hell he had even used it to get a kiss out of her.

"Sure thing sweetcheeks." Scarlett quipped placing a light peck on Kol's lips.

"Have you ever thought about it? Becoming a vampire." Kol questioned and Scarlett sighed before rolling off him. Given that was the last thing she had ever expected him to ask him. No one had ever asked her that question. Sitting up in bed Scarlett ran her fingers through her hair before turning back to Kol.

"It's complicated. What you've got to understand is that I've known about vampires my entire life, I grown up learning all about them just as my father did and my Nonno Edward did and so on. since Damon and Stefan became vampire in 1864 my family has kept it a secret and passed it down throughout the generations. I grew up disliking vampires because keeping the secret about my uncles was a big burden on my family. It's why my dad killed myself. I'd be a liar if I said the possibility of becoming a vampire had crossed my mine. There are people I love who are vampires and I don't ever want to leave them–"

"–Does that include me?"

Scarlett felt her face going bright red and chose not to answer. She wasn't ready to tell Kol that. "Then there are people I love who aren't vampires who I don't want to leave either. I don't know whether I'll someday become a vampire but at the moment it doesn't look like it and I'd rather not become one if I'm being honest as I'm the only living Salvatore, I'm kind of expecting to continue the line…"

"The whole getting married and raising kids things, right?" Kol questioned and Scarlett nodded. "Could you imagine the two of us doing that? If it were possible?"

"Us married with kids? Little mini Kol's and Scarlett's running around causing havoc wherever they met, it would be a total nightmare but the children would be very adorable…" Scarlett began which caused the two of them to laugh, they knew that would never happen as vampires could make little vampires but it certainly made an interesting topic of discussion. But then they were interrupted by the sound of Scarlett's phone going off on the other side of her room by her desk.

"Don't get it, stay in bed…" Kol said tugging at Scarlett's hand as she slowly crept out of bed but she just gave him another kissed before pulling away and making her way to her desk and picking up her phone. And she was surprised to see that the caller id read Damon.

"Hey, Uncle Damon…" Scarlett wearily began as she had no idea what to say to someone she cared about who had just lost their best friend.

"Red, we need you to come over to the Gilbert's house right away. We have a big problem."

Scarlett frowned, what kind of problem would they have now? Alaric didn't transition to become the big bad vampire hunter and Esther was dead, so really there wasn't anything to be worried about as Esther was the one who was causing all the mayhem, making everyone run around town like headless chickens. "What kind of problem?"

"Alaric isn't dead." Damon began.

"What?" Scarlett whispered in shocked.

"It's a long story but he completed his transition because Bonnie got past me with her witchy magic and fed him her blood last night, so now his alter ego is in charge and he's now an original vampire hunter whose practically unstoppable. Do what you need to do, get Kol to leave town as fast as he could and then get hear as fast as you can." Damon hurriedly stated and moments later the call ended.

Turning her attention back to her surroundings Scarlett looked over at Kol and swallowed a huge lump in her throat before putting her phone back on her desk and making her way back over to the bed where Kol was sitting up alert with a worried look on his face. "K-Kol…"

"What is it?"

You need to leave Kol, you need to get out of here as fast as you can." Scarlett said as finally snapped herself into action and went to grab all of Kol's clothes and proceeded to chuck them onto the bed.

"Why? Scarlett what the hell happened?" Kol demanded refusing to get out of bed.

"Alaric, that's what happened. Damon just called me; he said that Alaric completed his transition. He's now an original Kol and he's armed with an indestructible white oak stake. You need to get out here now, you need to run as fast as you can!" Scarlett said, her voice going up several octaves as she tried to get Kol to get up and start moving.

"How do you not know that this is some kind of trick by Damon to get to me?" Kol demanded as finally got up and started getting dressed.

"Because no matter how much Damon may hate you I'm important to him and he knows how much you mean to me. He didn't have to call me but he did, Damon told me to tell you to get out of town. He's giving you a heads up to run because i don't want to lose you but if you don't leave now it'll have gone to waste. So please, I need you to go." Scarlett pleaded.

"I can't leave you here alone to take him on." Kol firmly stated.

Scarlett felt like crying as she made her way over to Kol and placed her hands at the side of his face. "I can't focus on saving your life if your here with me, I'll get too distracted with making sure that your okay. I need you to leave Kol so i can focus on finding someway to stop Alaric. Please, do this one thing for me. Leave Mystic Falls so I save your life."

"I don't like this." Kol darkly replied.

"You don't have to like this, you just have to do what I say. You have to stay away Kol, you can't come back. Not until we've found out someway to reverse whatever your mother did." Scarlett tearily replied. "If you feel half of what I feel for you then you'll do what I'm asking of you, please…"

"Fine, I'll go but you'll call me tonight. Promise me you'll call me tonight otherwise I'll come right back." Kol said leaving no room for argument and Scarlett nodded as tearily kissed Kol.

"Yes! I will call you but you must go now Kol!" Scarlett pleaded and Kol looked at her for the longest time and wiped away her tears and Scarlett closed her eyes in an effort to savor this last touch, this last moment with Kol. As she wasn't sure when she'd see him again and when she opened her eyes, he was gone.


	88. Chapter 88

_So originally the start of this chapter didn't exist and i wasn't going to include it because of what i had wrote in the last chapter but i thought i'd put in a nice little surprise for you given that this story at this current time at 22:12 GMT time has 87 Chapters - 195,051 words - 430 Reviews - 135 Favourites and 146 followers. It's pretty amazing if i do say so myself to have all of these great reviews telling me how much you enjoy the story as honestly i wouldn't have gotten this far if it wasn't for you all. The fact that you all like this story so much motivates me to carry on, so as long as you keep enjoying i'll keep writing. Sometimes i may not update for a few weeks like recently because i'm busy with uni work but i assure you i will always come back! Anyway i just want to say a big thank you to everyone! We're not too far from 100 chapters and i promise i will make chapter 100 really special for you but until then, enjoy xx  
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Scarlett stood in the middle of her room and wiped away her tears, she had to get her head together and focus on the task at hand, yet she still couldn't believe what was happening. Even from beyond the grave Esther was still screwing with them but this time she had gone to such extreme lengths to hurt people; she had turned Alaric into an original so she could succeed in her plan of killing all her children. If It wasn't for the fact that Esther was dead, Scarlett would have happily killed the women instead regardless of how she felt about Kol or the rest of the originals. Despite them all being her children Esther was more than willing to kill them, Scarlett wasn't condoning all the damage that they had done but they were still Esther's children. Even Mikael didn't want to kill all his children, just Klaus. Focusing at the task as hand Scarlett got dressed, forgoing having a shower as the current situation was more pressing than her having a shower. Although she did brush her teeth, when Scarlett came back from the bathroom to grab her phone and keys she was stunned to see Kol.

"What are you doing back here? I told you to get out of town Kol." Scarlett questioned.

"I wasn't ready to leave just yet, I realized I had forgotten something." Kol replied as he walked towards Scarlett.

"Your forgot something? Whatever it is Kol, I doubt it is more important than your life." Scarlett hissed, she really wanted to strangle Kol for being so stupid as Alaric would kill him any chance he got and that was the last thing he wanted. It was bad enough Alaric was probably going to have to be killed for good this time but Scarlett did not want to lose anyone else because of Esther.

"That's the thing, I think you are." Kol announced and this actually floored Scarlett. "Come with me."

"I-I can't Kol, I'm needed here." Scarlett hoarsely replied after she had gathered the strength to speak, she couldn't believe that he had just said that.

"You can't do anything to stop him, he's a vampire Scarlett."

Scarlett nodded, she was well aware of that fact but she made up for that in plenty. "I may not be a vampire or some kind of supernatural entity Kol but I have a perfectly god head on my shoulders. I'm usually the brains behind the operation and I'm going to be needed to come up with some kind of plan and stop someone from doing something stupid. I'll be okay Kol."

"He's a vampire, he won't hesitate to kill you… if you take my blood–" Kol began.

"No. Don't even go there right now Kol because it's not happening, today or anytime in the future." Scarlett bluntly replied, that so wasn't going to happen. She knew what Kol was suggesting, if she had his blood in her system and somehow died then she'd become a vampire. Although the idea had been tossed around it was something Scarlett wasn't comfortable with right, she'd never dismiss the idea completely given that Stefan and Damon along with Caroline were vampires but right now she liked herself the way she was, human and all.

"If you die…"

Scarlett took a deep breath and unclasped her locket and placed it into Kol's hand. "I'm not going die. And to show you that I'm serious about the whole not dying thing I want you to take this. It's one of my most precious possessions and I'm giving it to you to look after Kol, I want you to hold on to it until we see each other again. If I have to go through hell and back to get that locket back then I will and I most certainly will not die. I'll be fine, I've been through much worse than a showdown with an original vampire but you need to go Kol. You need to get as far away from Mystic Falls as you can."

"Gorgeous…"

Scarlett smiled as she leaned forward and gave Kol a quick kiss. "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Kol asked with a frown.

"That kiss. It spoke volumes."

"Really? And what did it say?"

"Trust me." Scarlett told Kol, looking into his eyes and he lifted his hand up and gently brushed the loose piece of hair out of Scarlett's eye before letting his hand linger on her cheek and without realizing she was doing it Scarlett leaned into his hand. Taking a step closer to Kol, Scarlett laced her fingers through his free hand, which caused Kol to lean his forehead against Scarlett's. "I'll be okay, I always am. I just need you to be safe so I can focus on what I have to do. I can't have anything happen to you…"

"Then I'll do what I came back to do. I'll say a proper goodbye." Kol quietly murmured as he lips gently brushed over Scarlett's lips and seconds later he let go of her hand and moved his hand to her waist. Raising her arms up Scarlett wrapped them around Kol's neck, she felt her chest tightening and she caught her breath but it wasn't because she was having an attack, it was different. It was like her heart was telling that this was right. Everything about it was right from the butterflies in her stomach to the tingles his touch sent up her body whenever he touched her and as the kiss deepened, Scarlett pulled Kol as close to her as she possible could as her body desperately wanted to be as close to him as possible. Judging by way he responded to that it seemed like Kol wanted Scarlett just as much as she wanted him as she could feel his hand slide under her top onto the small of her back. Scarlett could feel Kol pull away from her but before she could complain he moved to nuzzle her neck for a few moments before pressing light kisses on her cheek and jaw line. But then he kissed her again, his lips soft and as hungry for her as ever. Until Scarlett's phone started going off.

"It's probably Damon. I have to go." Scarlett murmured as she pulled away, half of her way annoyed at her annoying vampire of an uncle for interrupting but then she recalled why he was calling. She needed to go help them, so she could save them and Kol.

"Do you love me?" Kol asked and to say Scarlett wasn't expecting was a bit of an understatement, it was like she had been hit by a train. The question had actually came out of nowhere.

"I love you, although I probably shouldn't." Scarlett honestly admitted, that was perhaps the most honest thing about her relationship with Kol, the two of them may lie about certain things but then never lied about how they felt about each other. Scarlett looked at Kol briefly as she saw a flicker of emotion in his eyes before she moved away to grab her hoody, phone and keys.

Kol gave Scarlett a weak smile. "You were right about me falling in love with you."

"I thought you said that you didn't believe in love." Scarlett said, ignoring the mother of all lumps in her throat."

"I pretty sure I remember you saying the exact same thing gorgeous, funny thing that is. Two people who don't believe in love somehow fall in love with each other. Be safe, I love you." Kol said and moments later he was gone, Scarlett didn't have time to even process the fact that Kol had her that he loved her as she needed to get over to the Gilberts. Time was of the essence as the longer Alaric was walking around, the more danger everyone was in. So leaving the boarding house Scarlett drove as fast as she could and once she had arrived at the Gilbert house she walked in without ringing the bell and headed straight into the kitchen where Damon was with Stefan and Bonnie.

"Hey, I got here as fast as I could…" Scarlett began, glancing over to Damon who gave her a small nod and Scarlett couldn't help but smile, Damon didn't have to call her and tell her to get Kol out of town. But he did and Scarlett rally appreciated it. "So why's the witch whose responsible for Alaric transitioning into an original still alive?"

"Scarlett…"

"What Uncle Stefan? This is all Bonnie's fault and we know it, I'm starting to think that the witch finder general had the right ideas as every single witch I've come across has been nothing but an idiot who does more harm then good!" Scarlett stated, not mincing her words as it was Esther and Bonnie's fault that practically everyone she loved who was a vampire was at risk.

"You have to give her that one Stefan, she does have a point." Damon said before turning to Scarlett. "Unfortunately Red, it seems like the Bonnie the not so useful witch will die today as she thinks that there is a way to undo what's been done. Apparently there could be some kind of spell as a witch can't make an immortal creature, problem is she doesn't know how."

"Your really are useless aren't you Bonnie!" Scarlett hissed before being interrupted by the sound of the doorbell, Scarlett paid no attention to it until she heard the sound of Jeremy talking to someone and that person sounded awfully familiar so sharing a look with Stefan the two of them went to the front door and found Jeremy talking to Klaus. "What are you doing here, Klaus?"

Klaus smiled which just worried Scarlett. "Well, for starters, young Jeremy here could show some manners and invite me inside."

"Why don't you go up to your room?" Stefan told Jeremy as he moved in front of him just as Damon joined the party and already Scarlett could tell that things were going to get particularly nasty and she wasn't really in the mood to be playing mediator today.

"Now." Damon firmly stated to Jeremy and with a sigh he walked away from them all and headed back up the stairs leaving the three Salvatore's with the very bad Mikaelson.

"Hm, poor lad. Loses one questionable father figure only to be replaced by the likes of the two of you." Klaus said clearing addressing that part to Damon and Stefan, causing Scarlett to roll her eyes. They had so much bigger problems to worry about than Jeremy's lack of appropriate male figures in his life.

"Yeah, about that Klaus. Something happened…" Scarlett began moving things along as they really needed to get on task if they were going to do anything about the little Alaric situation that they had on their hands and Scarlett had a sinking feeling that they may need Klaus help on that given that not only was he an original but he was also a hybrid. Possibly the only thing that could go up against Alaric with a chance of surviving.

"Oh, I know all about my mother's invulnerable little creation and that's why I'm here. I'm leaving town, just need to pick up a few road trip necessities. Spare tire, flashlight, doppelganger." Klaus said with an amused tone in his voice and Scarlett realized she should have known better, as Klaus wasn't one for helping people.

"Can't help you there." Damon replied slamming the door in Klaus's face before proceeding to walk into the living room with Scarlett and the two of them let out identical sighs, they knew this was going to be a long day and it only seemed to be getting longer. And more complicated when it came to their attention that Elena wasn't in the house like she was supposed to be. "What do you mean she's not here? Where did she go?"

"What's going on?" Bonnie asked as she walked into the living room.

"Klaus wants in, we have to keep him out because him being allowed inside won't end well for any of us." Scarlett stated as she peered out of the window to see Klaus pacing around with the newspaper in his hand. She watched him pace around and Damon peeked over her shoulder just in time as they saw Klaus pull back his arm and throw newspaper at the window.

"Ah, duck!" Damon yelled pulling Scarlett down with him as the newspaper smashed through the window and flew into the living room

"I think you're probably gonna want to let me in!" Klaus called out.

"Are you out of your goddamn mind!" Scarlett yelled back in response as Damon along with Jeremy dragged her into the kitchen where Bonnie and Stefan were waiting. She knew Klaus was slightly unhinged but she never thought he was that much off his rocker, the only upside of that entire thing was that they were at the Gilbert house. If Klaus had broken one of the windows at the boarding house she would of killed regardless of the fact that he was Kol's brother and they were kind of friends.

"Elena's car is gone." Stefan stated and Scarlett rolled her eyes, one of these days someone was going to have to get Elena a leash or ne of those devices people used to find their keys. She always had a habit of walking off and getting herself and everyone else into more trouble in situations like these.

"Why wouldn't she tell anyone where she was going?" Bonnie asked, before being interrupted when the b front door bursts open and a football landed in the hallway. From where she stood in the kitchen Scarlett saw Klaus walk up to the porch with two fence pickets in his hands. She could only watched as he hurled one into the house and she barely ducked in time as it narrowly missed Damon's head and hit a wall.

"Missed me!" Damon taunted as he pulled the picket out the wall and threw it back out Klaus, which barely grazed his shoulder. Laughing at this game of sorts Klaus broke the picket in two and threw it back and thankfully it didn't hit anyone this time. Just a photograph. "Missed me again!"

Scarlett sighed, this was getting ridiculous so deciding to do something stupid and irresponsible she made her way over to the front door and saw Klaus making his way back to the house with propane tank and a newspaper torch. "Put it out Niklaus…"

"Come outside and make me." Klaus retorted before pausing. "And where is my baby brother Red Riding? I know he was with you last night, is he inside?"

"He's gone. I told Kol to get out of town as soon as I heard that Alaric had completed his transition. I figured it would be best for Kol not to be here as to stop him from doing something stupid that may get him killed." Scarlett explained and she watched as a wide grin appeared across Klaus' face.

"And he actually listened to you? My brother must be more in love with you then I originally thought." Klaus said and Scarlett could feel her face go bright red and she had to avoid Klaus' gaze as he was staring at her with a look of curiosity and bemusement. "You never cease to surprise me Red Riding; the seventeen year old girl related to vampires and does not fear them because she believes that there are worst things in the world like poverty and famine. You have a very fiery temper and a bad heart, one of the most fearless teenagers I've come across and yet you fall in love with a vampire. I bet you never saw that coming because I know I didn't."

"Not one of my finest moments I admit, but he's worth it." Scarlett admitted as there was no point in denying it anymore, everyone either suspected or knew she was in love with Kol. It was only her who had been in denial about it, up until yesterday night. The Big Bad Scarlett Salvatore otherwise known as Red or Red Riding was in love with Kol Mikaelson, the original vampire.


	89. Chapter 89

_So here's a little filler chapter. But let's move on from that, is anyone else convinced that the vd are about to kill off Kol and by that i mean kill as in he's never walking this earth again? Apparently the preview for the next episode is suggesting something of the sorts which is really annoying as i've suspected this for a while and i have these really intense/dramatic/emotional chapters all ready planned and have done for a while in the aforementioned does really happen. But let's ignore that until and if we reach that bridge as i don't like thinking about that although it does open possibilities for Scarlett becoming a vampire... Moving on as that's venturing off into territories i'd rather not explore, I have other things in store such as the whole Scarlett, Caroline and Matt thing that you'll find out about when you read further on. So season three is almost over which means i have to start watching season four but already i can tell you that it's going to be very intense and there will be a massive and by that i mean a massive argument between Scarlett, Damon and Stefan about Elena after she becomes a vampire and someone ends up getting hurt. The consequences of that will have someone return to town, there's also Scarlett's birthday which will be the farthest thing from normal, however Scarlett will eavesdrop on a very bizarre yet emotional, honest and somewhat heartfelt conversation between Damon, Stefan, Clare (Scarlett's mother) and Kol on her birthday with an appearance by Klaus. You can only begin you imagine how that's going to go down..._

_If your looking forward to the Salvatore's reuniting and being somewhat functional and happy family all together than you'll be disappointed as things are going to go from okay to good then back down to being a right complicated mess. _

_Now i plan of having Kol coming in and out quite a bit and i've worked it out quite well, now in the series season 3 ends on october 2nd and the first episode begins and centers on the next day october 3rd. The next episode takes place just a week later on october 11th and Scarlett's birthday falls on october 6th so there's plenty of time for Kol to come visit and he'll be on his best behaviour somewhat although him and Damon will continually antagonize each other. The timeline is quite funny for season 4 and apparently jumps a lot especially during the holidays which works out well as i plan on putting in some nice Scarlett and Kol trips away from Mystic Falls such as New Years and them spending some quality alone time together, which i know you all like - at one point today i even had the idea of a marriage proposal, v. silly. Now as for your favourite other pain Scarlett and Damon things will improve because of what Alaric told Scarlett but also on the Kol front as he's very slowly excepting the idea of his niece dating an original. However given how similar the two of them are and those tempers they both have Scarlett and Damon will have a major falling out and the house has something to do with it. Although the reason behind it allows Scarlett and Stefan to repair their relationship fully and they'll be back to how close they were just after Zach died. But that's all to come, so until then enjoy xx _

* * *

"Red, you okay?"

Scarlett chose to ignore Damon and kept her eyes to the ground as she along with Damon, Elena and Stefan. Scarlett's day had sucked. Well she had been having a really hard few weeks but the current 48 hours really sucked. After she had sent Kol away and went over to the Gilbert's place things had spiraled out of control given that the badass original vampire formally known as Alaric Saltzman had taken Caroline as a hostage and Elena had foolishly snuck out to go meet him. If that wasn't bad, Klaus had shown up threatening to burn Elena's house down in true big bad wolf style unless he got Elena.

A plan was made to retrieve Caroline and Elena from Ric and that involved Klaus, Stefan and Damon working together but as usual the plan went wrong somewhat and things changed. And those changed had been kept from Scarlett. It was a long story but instead of desiccating Alaric like was planned instead it was Klaus who was desiccated and Scarlett bore witness to it when she helped her uncles plus Tyler rescue Elena from Klaus who was literally draining Elena of every single drop of her body. The images of Klaus' body breaking down were replaying in Scarlett's head despite her best efforts not to hence why she was being unusually quiet. Scarlett felt empty over this news, she wasn't happy about the news given that another person she knew had died or rather neutralized or desiccated. Klaus had sort of been her friend, they had some weird kind of friendship as she called him Niklaus and variants of The Big Bad Wolf and he called her Red Riding/Red Riding Hood. They occasionally shared jokes and slight admiration for each other in a weird twisted way but mostly they traded amusing insults with each other. He had helped her after the whole homecoming with Stefan and not once had he ever hurt her. But Scarlett also didn't feel bad about what happened as since Klaus had come onto the scene countless people had been hurt or killed because of him.

The last thing Scarlett could remember about her last ever conversation with Klaus was him telling her that he approved of her and Kol after he had answered his question about Damon not approving of her dating Kol. And just thinking of that made her heart ache for Kol, if he didn't hear back from her soon then he'd come back to Mystic Falls and that was the last thing she wanted given that Alaric was still on the loose. She had no idea how she was going to begin to even explain to him how it happened, she knew for certain that he would lash out.

"Red?" Damon asked once again and Scarlett looked up just in time to see that Elena was walking into her house and she was left with Damon and Stefan. "About today and what happened."

"Don't." Scarlett bluntly stated with a shake of her head.

"Scarlett you have every right to be mad with us but we did the right thing–" Stefan began.

"Shut up please, I really don't want to hear what you have to say or your justifications let alone talk about the events of today I'm tired of hearing it all and I'm tired of you all lying to me constantly. I'm going to go into Elena's to use the bathroom and then I'm going to go home and sort my head out and get some rest. And preferably I don't to talk to either of you for a couple of days so just stay out of my way…" Scarlett retorted pushing out of her uncles way and making her way into the Gilbert house, when she entered the foyer Scarlett made her way towards the stairs but the sound of laughing caught her attention so she headed towards the kitchen where she found something she wasn't expecting.

"–To a Klaus free life." Tyler said holding up a shot glass along with Jeremy, Elena, Matt, Bonnie and Caroline.

"What the hell is going on here? Are you guys having some kind of party?" Scarlett demanded and the awkward faces soon appeared and a thick tension appeared in the room as Scarlett waited for an explanation for whoever was behind all of this. Although Scarlett had a sneaking suspicion of who was responsible for this little party and they were going to be the one to try and explain this to her before she lost her temper.

"Scarlett…"

"Anti-Klaus party? Really Caroline? That's pretty low and tasteless even from you and forgive me for thinking you wouldn't pull something so disgusting like this." Scarlett spat with a shake of her head. "My boyfriend is Klaus' brother and I have to call him and tell the man I love that he's probably never going to see his brother again and your all having a party about that."

"C'mon Salvatore, yeah it's bad for the rest of the originals and you I guess because you and Klaus were kind of friends but why shouldn't we celebrate after everything he's put us all through." Tyler stated.

"Lockwood do I have to get you a muzzle or something? I thought I made it clear that you are never to address me but back to the situation. No matter what Klaus did he was still a person and forgive me for thinking it's wrong to celebrate someone dying. And if I'm taking the moral high ground then you know something is seriously wrong." Scarlett retorted.

"Scar I know you're mad but see it from our point…" Matt began.

"This is why I never had friends because people are liars and back stabbers and yet I was stupid enough to believe for a second that I actually trust people in this town but it turns out I can't. You and Caroline are supposed to be my best friends; the two of you should have known better. All this time you were standing in front of me pretending like you were okay with all of this… I deserved better than you both; from all of you. How many times have I been there for you? Helped saved your lives when I owe you all nothing. But I'm done with you all." Scarlett said with a shake of her head before backing away slowly and turning to head back towards the front door.

"Scarlett you can't go out there by yourself!" Caroline began taking a step forward.

"Just watch me." Scarlett snapped, storming out of the door and down the pathway towards her car, which was still here from when dropped it off earlier on. Climbing in Scarlett drove rather slowly home as to get her head together as her head was spinning in circles at the moment and no doubt her blood pressure was through the roof. Scarlett had a feeling in her stomach that things were just going to get worse from here on out. When she arrived home some fifteen minutes later Scarlett was home, sitting in the living room couch having just taken a Tylenol to help settle the huge headache she had. That was being helped by her phone constantly ringing every two seconds, at last count she had five missed calls from Matt and seven from Caroline and Scarlett wasn't picking up or returning any of them. She wasn't planning on speaking to either of them in the foreseeable future and they could certainly forget about that small and intimate surprise party they were trying to throw for her.

"Red, we need to talk…"

Scarlett rolled her eyes at Damon's reappearance and she watched as he walked further into the living room. "I don't want to hear you lecture me about how I can't be pissy with you about what happened to Klaus because you gave me a heads up to let my boyfriend skip town. I get it Uncle Damon, you hate Kol and don't approve. But I love him and he's not going anywhere so either get over it or shut the hell up."

"That's nice to know but that's now why I want to talk to you." Damon said after a moment.

"But I don't want to talk Uncle Damon, I'm too exhausted to talk. I can't do this anymore physically and mentally, I'm just too tired. There's always something going on, always something to talk about and I can't do it anymore. I wake up and I am exhausted because I know that it is going to be a long day filled with all this drama that has nothing to do with me but I somehow get dragged into. My birthday is in a few days and I should be looking forward to it but I'm not as it's too exhausting. I can barely think about more than a few hours ahead… I want peace, is that too much to ask for? I want a little piece and quiet and a chance to be normal for a little while." Scarlett wearily said and to then be surprised when Damon came over and pressed a kiss on the top of her head.

"Go get some sleep, I'll be back later. I've got to go get rid of Klaus…" Damon told Scarlett giving her a pat on her head before making his way out the front door.

Once he was going Scarlett let out a deep sigh, Damon's advice was easier said than done as her mind way too active to her even be able to attempt to sleep. Glancing to her side Scarlett saw her phone sitting beside her. She had to call Kol and tell him what had happened but she didn't now what to say or how to begin, it took Scarlett five minutes for her to pick up her phone and she went through her contacts until she found the right one and after a moments pause she pressed the dial button. The phone rang three times before it was finally picked up on the other end.

"Hello?"

"Hi, it's me Scarlett. Something has happened to K-Klaus, I think you should come back to Mystic Falls right now. Can you meet me at the boarding house?"


	90. Chapter 90

Scarlett sat alone all in the boarding house and by that she meant that was the only person in the house as Damon was off doing god knows what and she had no idea where Stefan was, probably with Elena or off brooding somewhere. Yawning loudly Scarlett continued to stroke Violetta who was sitting comfortably in her lap up until there was a knock on the door. Scarlett had a pretty good idea who was at the door but she was expecting them to arrive so early and the reason why Scarlett knew it was him, because he was the only person who knocked before walking into her house despite the fact that he could just freely walk in like everyone else. Getting up off the coach and taking Violetta with her, Scarlett made her way over to the front door and when she opened it she offered a small smile to the man standing outside.

"Hello Elijah."

"Scarlett."

"Thank you for coming so quickly, please come on in." Scarlett said motioning for him to come in and Elijah slowly crossed the threshold and followed Scarlett into the living room once she had shut the door. It hadn't been Kol she had called, it was Elijah as he was the only rational and level headed one of all the originals she could call. Kol was unstable and Scarlett meant that in a nice way and she didn't even want to get started on Rebekah.

"You said over the phone that something had happened to Klaus." Elijah began.

"Yeah I did. I'm assuming that you've heard from one of your siblings about what Esther got up to recently before she… passed." Scarlett slowly said, suddenly finding it awkward to talk to Elijah about his not so good mother who was a major pain in the ass to everyone who had just been killed again for the second and hopefully last time. "How she turned Alaric Saltzman into an original vampire hunter?"

"Yes. From what I've been told my mother gave him an indestructible white oak stake and he's on a mission to kill myself and my siblings and once he's die too and as thus eliminating the entire vampire species. Did Alaric stake Klaus?"

Scarlett shook her head. "No, Klaus isn't dead but he's pretty much close to it or rather incapacitated for god knows how long. Do you remember that spell that Abby Bennett used to incapacitate Mikael for fifteen years? The one that didn't kill him but caused his body to desiccate?" Scarlett questioned and Elijah slowly nodded. "Well Bonnie Bennett used that today, originally she was supposed to use on Alaric but for reasons unknown for me something changed and it wasn't used on him but rather Klaus after he tried to kill Elena by draining all her blood."

"Why would my brother kill Elena? Her blood is what enables him to keep making hybrids?" Elijah asked.

"Klaus figured out that somehow Alaric's life is bound to Elena–"

"So if Elena dies, so will Alaric and as such none of us will have to die." Elijah summarized and Scarlett nodded in agreement. "Why call me and tell me all of this?"

Scarlett frowned slightly as she put Violetta down on the floor. "If you had met me about sixteen months ago you'd find that I was a very different person that I am now, my interests only laid with what was going on in my little bubble of a world that consisted of myself and my Uncle Zach. I wouldn't call my self a sociopath or say I had a personality disorder but I didn't have much empathy ot care for people especially not vampires and I had very poor social skills. Years of isolation and being ostracized by this town did that to me. Then Stefan returned to town and he wanted to spend time with and through him I learned about compassion and along with Matt empathy. I called you because I thought you'd like to know as if the roles were reverse I would want to know especially since I don't believe it's right to chuck his body is the Atlantic."

"People won't be impressed about you calling me especially your own family." Elijah couldn't help point out.

"I don't care what everyone else will think, I'm doing what I believe is to be right and no one can make me feel bad for doing that. I was raised to know the importance of wrong and right and over the years it's kind of the one thing that I haven't completely lost…" Scarlett wearily admitted being somewhat honest about how she truly felt despite the fact she was saying this all to the completely wrong person. But she knew Elijah would understand or rather get where she was coming from as he was always the most moral of the originals. That's why the two of them got on because of where they stood on their families and having morals.

"Is that why you made Kol leave town today? I heard what you did, thank you for doing that Scarlett." Elijah began and Scarlett just shook her head and sighed.

"Don't thank me for what I did Elijah, it was done for purely selfish reasons as I like having Kol around, more then I should like having him around and I'd rather not see my boyfriend be killed as I'm quite fond of him." Scarlett wearily replied even managing a small smile whilst she was at it.

"How are your family–"

"Dealing with the news that I'm dating a vampire? They are having as much trouble as can be expected given that I fell in love with Kol who Damon hates with a passion, perhaps even more than Klaus… Stefan is fine with it, well I say fine with it but I don't know how to explain it. When he found out there was no yelling and I think he's okay with it for the most part although I think he along with Damon wishes I would date a human. But Stefan know that he has no business telling me who I can date given that I begged him not to get involved with Elena and he ignored so he doesn't want to look like a hypocrite. Although he seemed to relax a bit more when after what happened in Kansas when Kol brought me home and informed Stefan that I had his blood in my system and if anything happened to me i.e. I die and become a vampire he'd come back and kill Damon." Scarlett said finishing off Elijah's sentence before he even got to it.

"And how did Damon take the news of you becoming involved with my youngest brother?" Elijah asked and Scarlett could swear that there was the tiniest of smirks in the corner of Elijah's mouth, as if he could already tell what Scarlett was going to tell him.

"Not well as you can imagine. He does not approve in the slightest but he's not as pissed off about it when he first found out after a carefully pulled stunt by Kol to antagonize him about the two of us, Damon lost his temper. Essentially renounced me, he probably would have kicked me out if the house wasn't mine. Yesterday they worked together to help stop your mother and they didn't kill each other so there's some hope although I wouldn't count on it. But Damon really cannot tell me who I can love considering who he's in love with. Your family seem to be taking it better and by that I mean Klaus, he actually told me a couple of days ago that he approved despite me being a human…" Scarlett replied with a small scoff before being interrupted by her phone ringing and looking down she sighed when she saw who it was. _Kol._ At least it wasn't Caroline or Matt calling her again.

"Problem?" Elijah asked.

"When I made Kol leave town this morning he made me agree to call him tonight, he said if I didn't call then he'd come back to town. But what do I tell him? Klaus is practically dead and Alaric is still running around town. I can't tell him that. I don't even know how to explain it to him. And I worry that Kol will come back and get himself killed and as I've started that is the last thing that I want." Scarlett said with a sigh.

"Then let me."

"Are you?" Scarlett asked Elijah skeptically who just responded with a nod and ever reluctantly she handed her phone over to Elijah. Scarlett watched as Elijah took her phone and walked a couple of meters away to talk with Kol and Scarlett chose to sit back down on the coach and after a couple of minutes Elijah returned and held out Scarlett's phone for her take and she could see that Kol was still on the line. "Hello?

"Scarlett…"

At the sound of Kol's voice Scarlett felt slightly better although the sinking feeling in her stomach wouldn't completely disappear until this whole Alaric situation has been resolved and everyone was safe. "Hey Kol."

"How are you gorgeous?"

"Tired but apart from that I'm okay. I'm sorry about today, I didn't know what was going on until after it had happened, you have to know that Kol." Scarlett wearily began, she wasn't sure what Elijah had told Kol or how he had reacted to it but knowing Kol he probably hadn't taken the news very well.

"My brother explained it all to me, I don't blame you. I should probably let you go as I know Elijah needs your help with something but I'll call tomorrow, so once your done with Elijah go get some rest." Kol said and Scarlett didn't know what to say as it didn't sound like Kol but she went along with it anyway and once she had said her goodbye's to Kol she turned her attention back over to Elijah.

"Kol says you need my help with something?" Scarlett asked, not sure what to expect but even though she had called Elijah to tell him about Klaus in person there was no way she was going to help him undo what had been done. Damon would definitely kill her, if he didn't kill her for calling Elijah and bringing him back to town.

"I need to speak to Elena, I want to offer her a deal."

"I was hoping you'd say that." Scarlett replied with a small smile as she grabbed her jacket, picked up her phone and keys and motioned for Elijah to follow her. The two of them left the boarding house and climbed into Scarlett's car and she drove them to the Gilberts, Scarlett wasn't a hundred percent sure that she would be there but after what Elena went through the obvious place or rather the most logical place for her to be would be at home. The car journey was in silence which suited Scarlett fine as she was too busy fighting her exhaustion to both to make conversation and Elijah was the silent type who tended to speak only when he had to. Pulling up outside the Gilbert house, Scarlett switched off the engine and climbed out the car, along with Elijah she walked up the pathway and up the porch. Savoring the last moment of quiet she was going to get for a while Scarlett took a deep breath and opened the front door and walked in followed by Elijah and who should run into the them the moment they walk in? Elena Frigging Gilbert.

"Stefan…" Elena called out clearly in shock. "Elijah."

"Hello again." Elijah replied and moments later Matt along with Stefan came into the foyer and before you knew it there was one of those big awkward moments that Scarlett very much hated.

"What are you doing here? Better question yet, why are the two of you together?" Stefan asked and Elijah looked at Scarlett to answer this one and she just rolled her eyes in response before looking back over at Stefan. He wasn't going to like it, none of them where but Scarlett didn't really care anymore so here went nothing.

"I called him."

"Scarlett have you lost your goddamn mind? What the hell are you doing? Look I know that you have a spot for all the originals even more so since Kol is your boyfriend but you shouldn't have done this–" Matt began.

"Firstly don't even insinuate about my mental health ever again as I have not lost my mind and even if I do, everyone in this room would have some responsibility in that along with everyone else whose involved in this. Secondly I don't have to explain myself to you Matt, not anymore and thirdly this isn't about Kol. We keep our relationship separate from all of this as best we can. I'll have you know I didn't call Elijah because I'm dating his brother, I called him because I don't believe what you guys did was right, I think you should have stuck to the original plan to put Alaric down and I thought Elijah and the rest of his family deserved to know. Recently it seems like I'm the only one who actual has some morals around here, so forgive me for not apologizing for have a damn conscience…" Scarlett retorted.

"Scarlett…"

Sighing in irritation at yet another person saying her name in that rather slow and rather annoying manner Scarlett took a couple of steps forward. "The next person who begins a sentence by saying my name like that, I swear to god I will slap you as hard as I can and trust me given the amount of times I've hit Bonnie, Damon and Elena in the past year my slaps have been getting harder. You really don't want to be on the receiving end on it. Now let's move on, you can all yell at me later although I won't really give a shit. So Elijah has a deal that he'd like offer and your all going to sit down and hear him out. Any questions?"


	91. Chapter 91

_So they killed Kol... Kind of saw that coming but that doesn't mean i like it and it's now become a major problem hence no new chapters in a while. A lot of people really want me to not kill of Kol and trust me i'd rather not but i really can't see any other way around it, but i get it you know? Scarlett and Kol are great together, two dysfunctional people who somehow make sense when they are together. Honestly i really don't know what to do, i want a happy ending for Scarlett especially after everything she's been through but things sometimes don't work out like that. I don't know about you but i've found that it's through these hard times and all the adversity she's faced that Scarlett's grown as a person. _

_Anyway like i said i'm really torn about what to do so if any of you want suggest anything then go ahead and i'll listen although i can't promise anything about Kol's mortality. But he will be making several appearances especially at our favourite girl's upcoming birthday where he'll meet Scarlett's mother and the two of them along with Damon and Stefan will have a very deep and meaningful talk about Scarlett. Speaking of her, Scarlett's birthday party will be interesting, they'll be at least one argument and Scarlett will receive an interesting present from Klaus but her and Kol will come up with an agreement that will affect her future and Klaus' present has a part to play in that. And Kol will making a rather shocking offer...  
_

_Now as for Scarlett's relationship with Caroline and Matt? That's going to be broken for a good while, even more so if they are involved with killing Kol – i haven't actually seen the episode but i know how it ended. So basically expect Scarlett's temper coming and going quite a bit, Damon and Scarlett will start to mend their fences slowly but surely as i know you all love the moments between the very bitchy vampire and his even more bitchy human niece._

_Plus Scarlett will be making some appearances when it comes to the founders council as no one kicks her off a council that not only her family helped found but she forced her way in. You'll find out that when Scarlett says she knows every dirty secret in Mystic Falls she actually means it and she's not afraid to use that to blackmail people into getting her own way i.e. with a certain witch's father :p _

_So that's about it folks, i promise Kol will be around for a while at least so he and Scarlett can have some happiness even if it may be short lived. Happy readings and thanks for all the reviews, i posted the first chapter on April 18th 2012 and in less than a year it has 459 reviews! i promise that i'll have something great and spectacular planned for the 100th chapter, my way of saying thank you for sticking with this story for so long and being so nice about it. Enjoy xx_

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Nobody was pleased that Scarlett called Elijah, they were all very pissed off to put it lightly especially Damon but she didn't care what she thought, Scarlett knew that she had been doing the right thing. Scarlett had lost countless people in her time, lost faith in friends and people in general, she had ben through so much stuff since she had been born but her morality was something that had stayed. Klaus was a bad person, there was no denying that but dropping his body into the atlantic ocean was something Scarlett could not condone, Kol or no Kol. Scarlett was no angel herself, especially in the last year or so given she had used her fists a lot threatened to kill Bonnie several times. But she had grown up knowing the meaning and importance of right and wrong, her family had put such emphasis around it the day she lost that would be the day that Scarlett no longer knew who she was.

"…All we need is to take that stake away from him. Once it's been disarmed, the weapons in my possession, my family will scatter to the ends of the Earth and Alaric will follow us." Elijah began as he explained the plan he had to get rid of Alaric and for him to take possession of Klaus' body, Scarlett had to admit that it wasn't the best plan in the entire world but at least it was something and better than the plan that the idiots around her had come up with.

"And you'll just run?" Stefan asked as he sat down next to Elena.

"Why not? they've done it before. Klaus and Rebekah spent the better part of a thousand years evading Mikael. What's another half century of them running whilst Elena is able to live out the rest of her natural life? It's a pretty fair deal." Scarlett said as she paced up and down the kitchen, almost bumping into Matt who she currently wasn't talking to. So Scarlett just turned around and continued to pace.

"We've finally stopped him Scarlett and after everything that he's done to us, I can't just let you and Elijah bring him back."

Scarlett turned around on her heels. "Spare me the holier than thou attitude Elena, Klaus may be a bad person but you are no saint yourself. You play and toy with people's feelings not to mention countless have died because of you. More importantly it seems like you weren't paying attention to a single word as there is no we in this, I admit that I called Elijah but he is here to enter negotiations to secure Klaus' freedom. You make it sound like he'd bring Klaus back right this minute…"

"I give you my word, Elena. I will not revive Klaus within yours nor even within your children's lifetimes. Perhaps that will finally teach him some manners." Elijah said.

"Why should she trust you? All you've done is screw her over." Matt questioned.

"And you guys haven't!" Scarlett retorted.

"Calm down." Stefan warned and knowing that he meant that if she didn't calm down then her heart would start playing up, Scarlett reluctantly took a seat but made her feelings well known by the dramatic manner in which she sat down.

Elijah waited until Scarlett had sat down before continuing. "I am deeply ashamed. But know this, she could have been dead the instant I walked through that door tonight, so Elena, I leave it to you to make the decision whether to trust me or not.

"Not! Hello, did that concussion give you brain damage?! His lunatic siblings will kill you the first chance they get!" Damon said via loudspeaker as Scarlett had no idea where he was at the moment but hearing him just made Scarlett scoff.

"Pot, kettle black. Like you haven't done the exact same thing here." Scarlett said.

"I'm going to kill you Red! This is all your fault!" Damon seethed over the phone and something in Scarlett just snapped.

"You do that I'm pretty sure Stefan will kill you for good and let's not forget about my boyfriend whose an original and pretty fond of me. Actually saying he's fond of me is putting it rather lightly but you so much as threaten to kill me again Uncle Damon and Kol finds out? He will hunt you down and rip your head of your shoulders and put it on a stick for the entire world to see. And that's not even an empty threat as we all know that Kol would happily do it." Scarlett retorted as she knew very well that Kol was very volatile and reacted very violently when challenged and he probably wouldn't respond well to her being threatened plus he hated Damon and Kol was waiting for any chance to go for Damon as the original vampire disliked Damon and his constant interference.

"Both of you two stop it! Getting mad with each other isn't going to solve anything." Stefan said and Scarlett just stuck her tongue out at him. Stefan may have a point but for Scarlett it was worth it as Damon had fell silent, no doubt due to the threat of having to answer to Kol.

"Rebekah and Kol will honor the terms."

"You sure about that?" Damon demanded.

"Kol will if I ask him too." Scarlett said her eyes meeting up with Elijah's

"As will Rebekah if you return Klaus' body to us, Elena will come to no harm." Elijah said getting things back on track and Scarlett watched as Elena looked at Stefan. "Do we have a deal?"

"No! No, no, no, no. Did I mention NO? " Damon yelled and Scarlett just rolled her eyes.

"Elena, it's up to you." Stefan said.

Damon scoffed. "Oh, come on!"

"Why do you want with Klaus' body?" Elena asked.

"He's my brother. We remain together." Elijah replied.

"It's the right thing to do Elena and you know it… What if it were Jeremy?" Scarlett said appealing to Elena's apparent compassion and doing the age old trick of guilt tripping by making Elena think of if the roles were reversed and she wanted Jeremy's body back. Scarlett knew that if she had a sibling and she was in this kind of position she'd do everything and anything to get them or rather their body back. Not everyone had the morals that Scarlett had but she knew that they must have some simple ones, somewhere.

Elena sighed. "We have a deal."

Once that had been agreed upon Scarlett zoned out whilst the finer details had been sorted out, she didn't exactly care about them all that mattered was Klaus wasn't going to get dumped in the ocean. Although she was worried about this Alaric problem as they were luring him out into the open, if what Elijah said was true about them all going on the run from Alaric who would continue to hunt them down then that meant Kol would have to go into hiding too. That thought of that bothered Scarlett greatly, so wordlessly she got up and left the Gilbert's house and stood on the porch.

"We need to talk."

"Hit me with your best shot." Scarlett said turning around to face Stefan, fully prepared for the lecture that she was expecting. There was going to be consequences for her calling Elijah, Scarlett knew that and was ready to face them.

"What's going on with you?" Stefan asked.

"Nothing. I'm peachy."

"Why did you call Elijah?"

"I told you why. I thought what you were doing was wrong so I decided to do something about it." Scarlett replied and the look Stefan gave her said that he didn't quite believe that which wasn't too surprising. Since the whole Kol thing had come out and Scarlett had been lying about it she hadn't exactly been considered a very trustworthy and honest person within their little supernatural circle. The only one who still trusted her was Alaric and Scarlett wasn't even certain of that anymore given that Alaric was the big bad original vampire hunter.

"There's more to this than you feeling bad about what happened to Klaus, this is about Kol isn't it?" Stefan questioned.

"No."

"I don't believe you Scarlett."

"Like we both didn't know that." Scarlett replied briefly looking down at her feet, she really didn't want to be having this conversation with Stefan but she knew that this had been coming. Her family wanted answers from and despite everything that was going between them she was going to give them answers. "I was telling you the truth when I said that I called Elijah because I thought what you were doing was wrong but maybe some of it was because Kol."

"I know you wanted to help but what you did–"

"–You don't get it Uncle Stefan, I love him." Scarlett admitted.

"Scarlett…"

"What?"

"You heard me Uncle Stefan… I'm in love with Kol. I didn't want this as the last thing I ever wanted was to fall in love, let alone with a vampire nonetheless but I have and it is horrible, it opens your heart and it means that someone can come and mess you up. It forces you to be vulnerable which I hate but I love him and I'm not going to apologize for that. I won't apologize for that. I know you hate him just like Damon and that should bother me that my family hate my boyfriend…" Scarlett quietly said.

"Scarlett…"

"I know he's an original and his family pretty much hates ours and vice versa not to mention Damon slept with Rebekah. But Kol looks at me and by that he really looks at me Uncle Stefan and it makes my heart beat faster than it should, in a good way and my knees go weak. He loves me for just being me. He never makes me feel that I'm not good enough but rather Kol tires to build me up, he tells me that I'm beautiful and looks at me as if I'm crazy when I suggest otherwise. When the two of us are together we're not Kol Mikaelson and Scarlett Salvatore, we're just Kol and Scarlett, two screwed up people who have just so happened to find each other and for some reason we work. I can be scared with him, I can let everything go around him and allow the ten foot wall and sarcasm to come crashing done and Kol won't even blink at it because he's seen me almost at my worst and yet he still wants to be here. After everything with Esther he still wants to be with me. His happiness is important to me. He makes me happy. So I have a problem with something that will make him unhappy." Scarlett firmly stated, if her family couldn't deal with that than it would be more their problem then it would be hers. All that mattered was making sure Kol was safe.

"You love him."

"That is correct." Scarlett reaffirmed.

Stefan took a couple of steps towards Scarlett and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I didn't expect for you to realize so soon."

"Excuse me?"

"I've known for a while, well technically ever since you came back from Denver." Stefan said and Scarlett wasn't sure what to make of this and instead she closed her eyes and rubbed her temple several time. "Hey… you, okay?"

"I'm fine, it's just a headache and a little tiredness so nothing new really." Scarlett wearily said, she knew she wasn't fine. She needed more than five hours sleep and a few days of not worrying that the people she loved was going to be killed as her blood pressure was no doubt through the roof. One of these days she was going to end up keeling over because of it.

"You should go home and get some rest Scarlett, the last week has been pretty stressful for you and it's not good for your heart." Stefan suggested and Scarlett just shook her head.

"I can't, not until I know that Kol and you guys are safe. If I fall asleep then I'll miss something and I can't help so I have to stay awake as long as I can. There's no point in me leaving if that means there's a risk of the people I love getting hurt…" Scarlett wearily noted.

"Including Caroline?" Stefan asked and Scarlett immediately frowned.

"No."

"You should cut her a break and Matt too Scarlett."

"They threw a party to celebrate the fact that my boyfriends brother was dessicated, I know Klaus has been a major pain in the ass but that was uncalled for and very tasteless. There was a reason why I never had friends Uncle Stefan, you let people in to your life and you put your guard down around them and then they screw you over. I was an idiot to think I could have actual friends I could depend on, ones who I could call my best friends. I guess that title has to go to Uncle Damon if he ever decides to talk to me again given that he is the only person whose never disappointed me."

Stefan sighed. "Scarlett don't you think that's a bit harsh, Matt and Caroline made a mistake but your not perfect either."

"Did I ever say I was? One thing I can always be thankful for is that I never pretend to be something I'm not, what you see is what you get with me. I know I'm not perfect, so I never make myself out to be as I know I'm very flawed." Scarlett retorted.

"You could try and forgive them instead of casting them off, you did forgive Damon as well as me." Stefan pointed out.

"I never forgive anyone. I hold lifetime grudges against people and forgiveness is something that I don't hand out no matter how you are. You want to know why I haven't 'discarded' you and Uncle Damon like I have with Matt and Caroline? It's because you are my family and despite all the pain you've both put me through I will never abandon the two of you because I love you both unconditionally. You saved me when I was in an abyss of darkness and not once did you make it seem like you had anything better to do; you cared about me Uncle Stefan and went above and beyond to save me. Then Uncle Damon is the only person in the world who gets me, he knows me in and out because we are cut from the same cloth. I am a Salvatore and I don't abandon my own no matter how of a pain in the ass you both can be."

"Scarlett…" Stefan quietly began and Scarlett could see he was about to get all mushy on her. It was a sign, it also showed that Damon was right about Stefan finally coming back from his dark side. A small silver lining in a rather bleak situation.

"Uncle Stefan please don't start crying, I know we've done the emotionally bonding stuff but seriously I can't deal with crying." Scarlett blurted out.

"I won't."

"Good, now I need a coffee and I swear to god if anyone gets in my way of first cup of caffeine in the three months I will be a bigger bitch then I've been in the last 72 hours and someone's head will end up being mounted on my bedroom door…"


	92. Chapter 92

_Hello all, new chapter and it's not exactly pleasant and by that i mean Scarlett and for the second half of it she's in a very pissed off mood and she says some not nice things to Caroline about her and Matt. Now some of you may think Scarlett is over reacting to the whole anti-klaus party but what you've got to understand is that Caroline and in particular Matt were essentially the good in Scarlett, they gave her something that she had never had before in her life and that was friends. By being friends with them it allowed her to open herself up and to trust people who weren't in her family and Matt taught her about kindness and taking a chance on people but the klaus party hurt Scarlett. To see her friends do something so heartless when they were supposed to be the good guys was something that made Scarlett question a lot of things she thought she finally understood. Anyway Scarlett isn't too happy for them and won't be for a while, but moving on expect a big tantrum from her in a couple of chapters over the Elena situation and Kol may creep up in the next few chapters. Definitely not the next one as Scarlett needs to deal with the current problem in Mystic Falls before she can face Kol... It may take a while as i have a few essays due in less than a month... And yay i'm finally done with Season 3 and onto Season 4 and a little spoiler for you i've figured out a way to keep Kol in the story instead of killing him off! It's very exciting!_

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_"There's been an accident."_

Scarlett had fallen asleep, all the stress and worry had just kept building up and must to her annoyance she had fallen asleep for a couple of hours. When Scarlett woke up she was alone in the Gilbert house with no idea what was going on let alone where the hell was everyone else. Until she checked her phone and saw she had a few missed calls and once voicemail. It was a clear indication that something bad had happened as she wouldn't have woken up alone if things had worked out. Listening to her message all Scarlett could hear of Dr. Fell's message that there had been an accident involving Matt and Ella and she needed to come to the hospital straight away. Without even thinking things through Scarlett jumped in her car and drove to the hospital as fast as she could. Twenty minutes later a rather worried Scarlett ran through the hospital entrance and began wondering around the hospital corridors until she finally spotted Dr. Fell. "Meredith!"

"Scarlett…"

"What happened?" Scarlett instantly demanded.

"From what I've been told Jeremy and Matt decided that Elena shouldn't be here anymore so Matt was taking her out of town but Rebekah suddenly appeared at wickery bridge and from what Matt manged to tell me, he swereved to avoid her and the car went off the bridge. Stefan managed to get there and he got Matt out but it was too late for E-Elena…" Caroline wearily began. "She drowned which means–"

"–That Alaric is dead, I know about the two of them being linked." Scarlett replied in a brash manner as she attempted to blink away her tears. She would not cry. There were people who needed her right now, her family needed her to be strong right now. In an odd way Alaric being dead was a good thing as she no longer to had to worry about him trying to kill Kol but Alaric had been her friend, he had been Damon's best friend and a huge part of their lives.

"But… When Elena came in earlier tonight I had to use Damon's blood to help her as her injuried were much more severe than I let on…" Meredith said and Scarlett swallowed the mother of all lumps in her throat.

"She's in transition… where are they?" Scarlett asked knowing full well that Damon and Stefan would be with her at this time. Which was kind of a good thing as Scarlett needed to know that they were okay and only by seeing her family would she be assured of their safety.

"The morgue." Meredith replied and Scarlett went to take off in the direction of the morgue but her feet wouldn't move. It was like something was forcing her to stay where she was. "He's okay Scarlett, Matt's fine just a little shaken up.

Wearily nodding Scarlett finally managed to move her feet and headed in the direction of the morgue, she had been there a few times with Damon when they were trying to fingure who the towns serial killer was before they discovered it was Alaric. When Scarlett arrived at the morgue or rather the entrance of the morgue she saw Damon pacing up and down in an agitated manner before he finally stopped and looked up to see her. Unable to contain herself Scarlett bolted over to him and hugged him as tight as she could and after a while she could feel him hug her back and after a while they both pulled back. As much as they were arguing with each other hours ago, the only thing that mattered was that they were here and alive for the most part. "Your okay? Both of you your not hurt or anything?"

"We're fine, but…" Damon quietly began.

"I know that Elena's in transition and Alaric's gone, I'm really sorry Uncle Damon." Scarlett said and she watched as a tired and wearily look crossed over Damon's face as he placed his hands on her shoulders. Scarlett had never seen Damon look so old in all the time that she had known him. He had just ost his best friend for good and the Elena thing was so complicated to say the least. But there was something else bothering him. "Uncle Damon, what is it?"

"Nothing, it's just been a long day…" Damon said and Scarlett just narrowed her eyes at him because she knew he was laying, well not about the long day part because it had been a very long few days but that wasn't what was bothering him.

"And?"

"She chose him." Damon wearily said as he walked away from her and Scarlett knew he was talking about Elena finally choosing between him and Stefan and no doubt Stefan was the him he was referring to.

"You'll always have me, you know that right? Bitchy vampire uncle and even bitchier vampire niece." Scarlett stated, as she knew that any form of sympathy from her in the slightest would just make Damon feel uncomfortable and worse than he was already did. So she decided to go with humour, when the going got tough and things were stressed out the two of them cracked jokes or traded insults. It was part of their weird thing and would never change no matter how much of a weird place they were currently in. It worked because Damon cracked a small smile, until Stefan walked out of the morgue.

"Jeremy wants to take her home." Stefan said and Scarlett watched as Damon's jaw hardened before he relucnatly nodded and walked past Stefan and into the morgue.

"How is she?" Scarlett asked making conversation with Stefan.

"Well she woke up but lost conciousness moments after, I think she'll be like that for a while because of the whole drowning thing." Stefan said.

"I don't understand how any of this happened, we had a plan and then judging by what I've heard it's all spiralled out of control. It's all bit of a haze, I don't remember even fallng asleep and I woke up and got Meredith's message. I can't believe all of this has happened especially to you and Elena. Back at wickery bridge after more than a year at least Elena is alive somewhat…" Scarlett wearily noted and Stefan gave her a small smile.

"I need to tell you something Scarlett." Stefan began and Scarlett knew there was something else that had gone on but she wasn't sure what could be any worse that Alaric being dead and Elena started the transistion into a vampire.

"Ok."

"Klaus is dead, not desiccated by actually dead." Stefan announced and Scarlett 's mind went blank for a few moments until things finally fell back into place. If Klaus was dead then how comes Damon and Stefan we're still here.

"B-But how are you guys okay? If Klaus is dead…" Scarlett began in a rather confused manner as they all thought that Klaus sired Damon and Stefan's bloodline but seeing as Klaus was dead and they were alive than he mustn't have sired them as Sage who had been sired by Finn died a couple of hours after he had been killed. "Then he must have lied, Klaus must have thought that if he led us to believe he sired your bloodline than it would insure that none of us would try and do anything to him. My god…"

"It kind of gets worse Alaric outed Damon, Carol and Liz to the rest of the council who've kicked them off which means they probably know about you too Scarlett seeing as you sit on the council. Alaric had the deputies out looking for Klaus which means they maybe coming for you Scarlett." Stefan said and Scarlett allowed herself to frown briefly as that was a bit of a problem.

"Let them." Scarlett replied.

"Scarlett this is serious…"

"And do you see me laughing? Uncle Stefan I'm Scarlett Salvatore, I'm from one of the founding families and I have lived in this town my entire life. I know everything about this town and what goes on in Mystic Falls. I know the deepest darkest secrets and it would scare you all the things I know about the residents in this town. They can try and kick me off but I'm not being kicked off a council that my family sit on in a town that we helped to fun. More importantly there is no one of this town who can kick me off a council I invited myself onto. Trust me Stefan in terms of the founders council I'm not going anywhere…" Scarlett said but the look Stefan gave her said he didn't quite believe her. "What's going to happen now?"

"I'm going to go back to the Gilbert's house with Jeremy, Damon and Elena as I should be there when she wakes up. You should go home and sleep for a while, all this stress can't be good for you." Stefan said and Scarlett just rolled her eyes as Stefan worried about her far too much and more importantly he had bigger things to worry about than her at the moment.

"I think I'm going to hang out upstairs for a while, but I'll call you in a couple of hours." Scarlett said and moments late her and Stefan hugged each other before she left to go back upstairs. She didn't really want to see Elena at the moment given that she was somewhere between being alive and being dead. When Scarlett reached upstairs she wondered around the hospital until she found Matt's room where she just so happened to run into one of the few people she wanted to see; Caroline.

"Scarlett…"

"Hello Caroline." Scarlett replied.

"You heard what happened?"

Scarlett nodded. "Dr. Fell left me a message and I've just come from speaking with Damon and Stefan, they pretty much filled me in on the majority of what happened in these last couple of hours.

"Tyler's dead." Caroline tearily said.

"I would say that I'm sorry about Tyler but I'm not Caroline, I've always hated him as Tyler Lockwood was nothing but a bully who thought himself of being somewhat of god when really he was just a coward who picked on people to make himself feel better. Not to mention he was a bloody werewolf and almost killed my family." Scarlett spat and Caroline just looked at her in shock. "Don't look at me like your so surprised Caroline. Tyler and Alaric being dead and what happened to Matt and Elena hasn't changed anything for me or make me censor myself. I don't care anymore…"

"I don't believe you Scarlett as we're friends and as much as you want to put this facade up I know Matt means everything to you! You lived with him on and off during the year! The two of you joke about being married constantly!"

"We used to be friends Caroline and Matt did mean something to me but not anymore." Scarlett corrected but she knew that was a lie she knew that walking away from her and Matt's friendship wasn't going to be easy as she was making it out to be. He was her first proper friend, she confided in him about her heart, fell apart in front of him and let him take care of her when she was falling apart.

"If you don't care then why are you here?" Caroline demanded.

"Trust me I'd rather not be here but I made the mistake of allowing myself to make a friend a year ago and by doing that I allowed myself to care for people despite years of being by myself and isolated because of you and everyone else in this town. I grew up not caring about people thought and I liked being by myself but Stefan wanted me to have friends and connect to people and then I did. Matt and I became friends and he made me care and now I can't just turn it off and go back to how I was. You want to know why I'm here Caroline? It's so I can say goodbye to it all, it's going to take time to not care anymore as Matt's been with me countless times when I've been here about my heart and it's only fair that I return the favour now despite where things stand at the moment. I need to know that he's okay before I can walk away…"


	93. Chapter 93

_Sorry it's been forever but i'm have had ten million essays and exams, it was that bad that my brain was about ready to explode! I really wanted to be able to post a chapter on the one year anniversary of me posting this story but that never happened. But now i'm finished with uni and off for four months so expecting regular updates... Anyway some of you may not like the majority of the chapter but i feel i have to justify it as relationships aren't always roses and sunshine, there are bumps in the road... but things will work out._

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Scarlett had been sitting with Caroline in those stupid plastic chairs the waiting area of the hospital for god knows how many hours given that Matt had been sleeping for the majority of the time since he had come in due to him almost drowning. The only reason why Scarlett was still here was because she needed to say goodbye to him before she could finally move on with her life. Scarlett had already done that with Caroline which didn't go well and the two of them had been sitting with each in absolute silence ever since which suited Scarlett just fine. Although there had almost been a sitation when Caroline wearily eyed the coffee that Scarlett had made for herself, no doubt silently judging Scarlett for having caffine when she was on a caffine free diet because of her heart. All it took from Scarlett was the mother of all glares to quickly put Caroline in her place. Apart from that everything was as good as it was ever going to get, despite various people being dead and one person currently in transition. But for Scarlett was okay as whilst Mystic Falls used to be that small boring town where nothing happened, it wasn't that anymore and most of her days were far from normal. So the last few days had kind of been your everyday run of the mill days when you lived in a town like Mystic Falls where the supernatural run amok on a daily basis.

"Caroline… Scarlett? Matt's all done and officially discharged and he wants to see you." Meredith said making their way over to them. Both Caroline and Scarlett stood up and started to make their way to Matt's hospital room but her phone going off caused Scarlett to stop in her tracks. Looking at the caller id Scarlett saw that it was Kol, he had been calling for the last couple of hours no doubt calling to check in on her but she had ignored all his previous calls. There was no way she could avoid him any longer, she was going to have to talk to him otherwise he'd be on his way to Mystic Falls and that was the last thing Scarlett wanted right now.

"Go ahead, I'll catch up…" Scarlett wearily said and not needing to be told twice off Caroline went and after a moment of waiting Scarlett picked up the call. "Hello?"

"About time gorgeous…" Kol began

"Did you know?" Scarlett demanded, forgoing the pleasentires with her boyfriend and cutting him off in order to get answers. Rebekah was to blame for everything Alaric dying, Elena transitioning and Matt almost drowning last night and Scarlett didn't believe that her being in the middle of wickery bridge and casuing Matt's truck to go off the bridge was no accident. Rebekah did that on purpose and there was a good chance Kol knew given how close he and his sister was.

"Know what?"

"About Rebekah's little stunt last night… Your crazy bitch of a sister caused Matt's car to go off wickery bridge, killing Elena and Alaric because of it." Scarlett stated, leaving out the part about Elena being in transition given that she could still die if she chose not to complete the transition.

"And what exactly is your problem? You don't even like Elena and Alaric was a problem for all of us and he needed to die you know that. He would have come and hunted us all down and you know that when an orignal vampire dies so does your bloodline so your little family were at risk too! By the sounds of it my sister did us all a favour!" Kol retorted and Scarlett could not believe what he was saying, how she was in love with that skinny egotistcal brat was beyond her at this current moment.

"My problem is that Matt was in the car! It was his truck that Rebekah caused to go off the bridge and he could have died too if Stefan hadn't have saved him! That is my problem Kol! He's my best friend Kol so I have a problem when your mentally unstable pain in the ass sister tries to kill him!" Scarlett hissed moving out of the waiting room so she could have this conversation in a more private place.

"Well he's not dead, so why are you making such a fuss?"

"You want to know why I'm making a big deal about this? My family and the people I care about are getting hurt because of your family. We did you a favour and killed Esther, despite how much Damon hates you he called me and gave me the heads up about Alaric so I could get you to leave town, I risked losing my family by calling Elijah, telling him about Klaus and helping him stroke a deal so you could get Klaus' body back! And your family go and pull a stunt like this? That's the big deal…"

"My family comes first, you knew that when we got involved just like I know your family comes first."

"I may have said that but I also said that I didn't believe in love but here I am, in love and risking my family and my friends for the man I love because that's what I do, that's what I've learnt in the last years… To do anything to protect the ones I love and for me that doesn't just extend to my family. But let me give you something to think about Kol, because your deranged mother turned Alaric into one of you and unleashed his apparent dark side, the vampire Alaric outed me to the founder s council!" Scarlett snapped.

"What are you talking about Scarlett?" Kol asked and Scarlett could have sworn she had the slightest bit of fear in Kol's voice. But it was probably her imagination given how much of a jackass he was being.

"It means that the founders council are coming for me Kol! I sit on the council and Alaric told them everything, they know that Stefan and Damon are vampires and that I knew about them and kept the secret. They know that one of my best friends who happenes to be the Sheriff's daughter is a vampire, they know I'm dating you and that all of this has been going on for months and a group of us from the founding families have been keeping a secret. When I say they know everything Kol, I mean everything Kol and now they are on a witch-hunt and they are coming for me and my family! They will round us up and do god knows that to Damon and Stefan if we don't come up with some kind of plan!" Scarlett hissed.

"W-What can I do? I'll come down…"

"Don't bother, you've made your feelings pretty clear that your only looking out for you and your families own self intrest." Scalrett interrupted and moments later she ended the phone call and shover her phone back into her bag. That call didn't go as she expected as her and Kol spent most of it snapping back and forth with each other. That was the problem with dating someone who had a temper as bad as your own, an argument of this proportion was only natural given the two of them. Maybe it was a good thing that the two of them had their space as Scarlett was having some homicidal feelings at the moment and if she saw Kol right now, she'd probably put a dagger through his chest. Scarlett would wait until this current situation had diffused and then deal with Kol and make amends. Making her way towards Matt's hospital room Scarlett got stopped halfway there by the witchfinder general and his followers aka. Pastor Young and the deputies.

"Miss Salvatore you have to come with us." Pastor Young began and Scarlett rolled her eyes.

"I don't think so."

"You don't have a choice in this, I'm sorry Scarlett but you will be coming with us." Pastor Young said and Scarlett laughed before taking a couple of steps forward until she was standing right infront of him. Pastor Young was a man on the cloth who didn't scare Scarlett in the slightest, if anything he was scared of her and she'd use that to her advantage. After all she was the town's black sheep with the infamous temper that was to be avoided at all costs, niece of the one and only Damon Salvatore. People feared her and vampires feared and respected her. So there was no way Scarlett Salvatore was going to bow down to some pathetic little pastor.

"Your father would not have wanted this for you, if only he could see you now." Pastor Young stated and Scarlett scoffed as the dead father who would be so disappointed with her card was so not going to work. Given that Scarlett knew that her father was the furthest thing from disappointed in her and he admired her for everything she had done.

"My father isn't here anymore Pastor, he's been dead for the last nine years now so what he thinks or what he did think doesn't really matter anymore. Now I'm going to tell you this once more so you had better listen because I'm not in the business of repeating myself… Back the hell off Pastor Young, take the deputies and and walk away right now before I lose my temper and we don't want that to happen now, do we?" Scarlett retorted slowly eyeing him up, daring him to try and take her. Whilst the deputies may have guns and handcuffs, Scarlett knew things, lots of things about Mystic Falls and it's residents, which gave her a considerable amount of leverage.

"Deputies, let's go…" Pastor Young eventually said.

"I thought so." Scarlett taunted in an amused manner before walking past Pastor Young and once she was out of his sight, Scarlett all but sprinted to Matt's hospital room and when she arrived, there was only Matt and no Caroline which was very worrying given that if the countil had just come for her then they were sure as hell looking for Caroline too. "Where's Caroline?"

"She was her but we heard one of the deputies making their way here so she took off." Matt said pointing to the windown and Scarlett took a deep sigh of relief, as much as she was pissed off with Caroline the last thing she wanted was for her to be taken.

"That's good… For now althougth that only buys both of us some time." Scarlett noted.

"What do you mean?

"Well Pastor Young just tried to cart me off and I all but told him to fuck off and I doubt he's just going to leave it like that and he's sure as hell going to be looking for Caroline. We need to regroup with the others and come up with some kind of plan because after everything I've gone through in the last year I am not having this, whatever Pastor Young has planned happen to me. Not to mention stop Caroline, Damon and Stefan from being rounded up and no doubt killed by the council… So come on Matt, we need to go as there's lots to do in not to much time…" Scarlett noted grabbing Matt's arm and attempting to drag him out of the room but much to her avail he was dragging his feet.

"Scar… About what happened before." Matt began.

"Forget it I'm over it." Scarlett interrupted, hoping that would be the end of it but apparently not. It seemed like Matt wasn't going to buy in to Scarlett forgiving him so easily which frustrated her to no end. But then again that's all what people closet to her and people did to Scarlett in general did, frustrate her to no ends.

"So just like that you've forgiven me?"

"Look what you did was incredibly stupid and boneheaded but yes just like that forgive you because you are my best friend! You accept me fot who I am, take care of me when I'm falling apart and sick. You made me a better person and what not… So yeah I'm forgiving you and Caroline for your sheer stupidity because I love you both and you almost died and Caroline is no doubt being hunted down so I'm being all mature about this and moving on from it because I will not lose the two of you. And besides it's what your supposed to do when friends screw up and take part in parties to celebrate someone dying! But come on we need to get a move on now Donovan…"


	94. Chapter 94

Scarlett surveyed her house and frowned, it had clearly been ransacked and it didn't take a genius to figure out who had done it. The house wasn't in too much of a state as nothing had been broken but it was going to take sometime to clean up much to Scarlett's dismay. Another thing to add to her mile long list of things to do which included getting to her birthday alive and the closer the day got, the least likely it seemed that Scarlett wouldn't make it. It would be her second birthday with Damon and Stefan well technically her third as they had come to her first birthdy but it would be Scarlett's second birthday with the two of them as a famiy. Scarlett's birthday last year wasn't exactly the best as it fresh off the bat of Damon killing Zach and Scarlett's suicide attempt. It was also going to be the first year that Scarlett celebrated with her mother since they had reconciled and also the first one had friends and a boyfriend to come. That's if her boyfriend would speak to her after their heated phone conversation, but Scarlett would focus on that too much. Pulling out her phone Scarlett called Damon to check in and give him an update, despite the fact they were still in a bit of a shkay place he picked up on the second ring.

"Red…"

"So the house has been hit, given a good ransacking." Scarlett began and she knew she didn't have to tell Damon who was responsible for doing it as they both knew that it was the people trying to round them up. Even without them ransacking their home Scarlett knew that Damon was planning on getting some kind of revenge.

"They get all the vervain?" Damon asked.

"No. When Stefan told me that Alaric had outed us to the council last night I knew something like this would happen so I moved the vervain somewhere safe. I took just over half our supply and left the rest so no one would get suspicious." Scarlett explained and Damon didn't say anything for a moment no doubt due to Scarlett mentioning Alaric. It was hard to believe that Alaric had been dead for just over twelve hours and they couldn't even take time to grieve as they had to deal with a crisis. "You should know Pastor Young tried to round me up."

"I'm guessing the operative word in that sentence is that he tried to take you." Damon stated and Scarlett could practically feel him smirking on the other side of the phone.

"Naturally. You may be the vampire but I'm the scary Salvatore that everyone in the town tries to avoid. When he tried to take me I had to put the pastor in his place and remind him that I'm the alpha dog here in this town."

"Good girl... Look Red you won't like this but they've got Stefan, Elena and Rebekah, although Caroline managed to escape and we may have narrowed down where the good pastor is keeping the others. Other than that they've locked the mayor and sheriff out of their offices, we need to regroup and there is safety in numbers so get your ass over here. Your dumb quarterback friend is here and we're about to leave for the pastors ranch…" Damon said, the venom pretty clear in his voice when he was referring to Matt no doubt blaming him for what happened for Elena. Scarlett chose not to reprimand Damon about insulting Matt.

"Yeah about that Uncle Damon, ten minutes ago I got a call from Dr. Parker he wants to run some test on my heart and I think something is wrong, I'm not supposed to have another check up for another month but then he called. I don't exactly know what's wrong, but I think it's something bad as my blood pressure has been pretty high lately and Dr. Parker said he needed me to come in straight away…" Scarlett weariy said and there was just silence on the other end of the phone and she thought Damon had ended the call until she heard him take a deep breath on the other end of the phone. "Look I know it's the last thing we need considering our current dilemma so if you need me then I can put if off for a few days, given everything that is going on–"

" –You take care of yourself, I can handle everything on this side even if it means working with your idiot best friend." Damon replied.

"I don't know Uncle Damon." Scarlett said as she was worried about Damon's emotional state given that his best friend had just died and the woman who he loved had chosen Stefan, his own brother over him. Scarlett knew Damon well enough to know that the above-mentioned problems were more than enough to justify Damon going on a boozing, whoring and killing spree in an effort not to deal with his issues.

"Red?"

"Yeah?" Scarlett replied.

"It'll be okay, I'll come check in on you later..." Damon said and moments later the line went dead. Sighing to herself Scarlett picked up her bag that contained everything that she'd need for her two day hospital stay and as she made her way to the door Scarlett eyes caught the umbrella stand, or rather the baseball bat that was sitting in it. Knowing what she had to do and knowing that she would probably regret it Scarlett picked up the bad and jumped into her car and began the drive to Pastor Young's ranch. Scarlett had been there with Zach a couple of times after her father had died but she hadn't been there in years but she still knew the way. Disregarding the speed limit given that the sheriff was god knows where and most of her deputies were working with Pastor Young. By the time Scarlett arrived it was dark and by the time she had pulled up outside the ranch she bore witness to Damon killing two mean before going over to pace his foot on the chest of an injured Matt who was laying on the ground.

"Go ahead and kill me, you can't possibly hate me more than I hate myself…" Matt murmured.

"Oh yes I can, it should have been you..." Damon replied and Scarlett could faintly make out Damon's foot inching towards Matt's throat and grabbing the baseball bat, Scarlett strode out of her car and made her way over to Damon and hit him in the back before he could hurt Matt any further.

"Red…" Damon snarled.

"Didn't really think you'd get to play the hero without me did you? Better yet, what have I told you about leaving Matt alone…" Scarlett began stopping when she saw Elena running over and stopping just infront of them. But there was something different in her, in her face and Scarlett immediately knew that Elena had completed the transition.

"Elena…" Matt began, staggering up and making his way towards Elena until Scarlett pulled him back.

"Matt don't…" Scarlett warned keeping a firm hold on Matt with her free arm given that Elena was a newly transtioned vampire with a heightened bloodlust with no lack of control yet. So until that bloody neck of Matt's healed up, Scarlett was keeping him well out of Elena's reach as insensitive as this was, until Elena gained some sense of control it was like the Vicki situation again and Scarlett remembered how well that ended. "Elena… Where's Stefan?"

"In the barn…" Elena quietly said.

"Come on Donovan!" Scarlett said dragging a reluctant Matt around the back of Pastor Young's house and in the direction of the barn. It was pretty dark but Scarlett could see a light a few yards away. By the time the two of them had reached the barn Matt was quickly losing strength and soon fell to the floor, Scarlett barely had time to react to it when Stefan ran over and fed Matt his blood but Matt soon pushed him away.

"Just stop! Stop saving me!" Matt yelled.

"What the hell is your problem?" Stefan demanded.

"What do you want me to say? Thank you? Cause honestly I wish you'd have just let me drown."

"What? You think you were my first choice?" Stefan questioned in disbelief and Scarlett just rolled her eyes.

"Elena's a vampire because of me. I have to live with that everday for the rest of my life

"No, no, no, you don't have to live with that, you; you get to live with that because Elena put her life before her own so every morning you get out of bed you make sure as hell you better own it." Stefan leactured and unable to stand anymore of his attitude Scarlett hit him with the bat and she hit him so hard that the bat broke. She'd have to take a note out of Kol's book and invest in a alminium bat.

"Don't put this on Matt and you sure as hell don't talk to him like that! Elena becoming a vampire is Rebekah's fault but also yours and Damon's fault. If you two had left her alone then none of this would have happened. And stop with the holier than thou attitude about how Matt has to earn his right to live because Elena put his life above hers because I've done that too. I've put yours and Damon's lives before mine on several occasions and let me tell you something now you haven't earned that so called right to live let alone living in my damn house!" Scarlett snapped and after a moment she stumbled back and clutched her chest because of the sharp pain she was currently experancing.

"Scarlett…" Stefan began.

"D-Don't…" Scarlett panted before stumbling off in the direction of Pastor Young's house as she needed to get out of here and rather quickly. But it was rather hard as it felt like her heart was about to jump out of her chest. Now Scarlett was seriously regretting coming here but the sooner she got the hell out of here the better. As she stumbled in the dark Scarlett came across Elena and Damon who were in the middle of a rather tense conversation.

"Red?"

"I-I need to go to the hospital…" Scarlett hoarsely said and Damon came to Scarlett's side as she made her way towards her car. That was last thing that Scarlett remembered until she woke up and found herself to be in a dimly lit room and all she could hear was the sound of beeping in the background. Glancing around Scarlett realized that she was in the hospital and hooked up to a heart monitor, which just caused her to groan. Scarlett's memories were vague but she knew Dr. Parker was going to kick her ass when she next saw him. Forcing herself to sit up Scarlett was to surprised to see Damon sitting in the corner of the room. "Hey… What happened?"

"You were having your heart problems and you lost conscious just before we arrived at the her and then you went into cardiac arrest. The doctor in the ER had to shock you to get your heart to start beating again. You reganined conciousness for a few moments before falling asleep." Damon announced and Scarlett had to take a deep breath in order to process this information, sure she had problems with her heart but never until now had it ever been this bad. She had gone into cardiac arrest and the doctors were forced to shock her heart to save her life. She could have died and just thinking about that made Scarlett want to cry and she could feel the corners of her eyes beginning to sting.

"I think I'm going to die Uncle Damon…" Scarlett quietly said but she knew Damon could hear her.

"What?" Damon hoarsely questioned as he slowly stood up.

"I h-have this feeling that I'm going to die, I can't really explain it but there's this feeling in the pit of my stomach like something really bad is going to happen. And I think it's about me, I think i-I'm going to die soon…" Scarlett admitted.

Damon surprised Scarlett by sitting down on the edge of her bed. "Never going to happen, I won't let it happen…"


	95. Chapter 95

Scarlett sat on her hospital bed, she was finally done with the ten million test that Dr. Parker conducted on her and her heart over the last two days and she was being allowed to go home later today as the tests showed she was in no imminent danger of keeling over anytime soon. They weren't too good either. Damon had been with her a lot over the last two days no doubt to keep his distance from the newly back together Stefan and Elena but also because Scarlett knew she had freaked him out when she told him that she thought that she was going to die soon. Scarlett had been keeping that one quiet for a few days until she spilled her guts to Damon, the only person in the entire world sje could entrust with that information. When Alaric had told Scarlett that she was the one person in the world who Damon unconditionally trusted and would do anything for, she knew he was right but Alaric forget to say that it worked both ways. Sure they had their many ups and downs but Damon was the one person Scarlett too could unconditionally trust given that the two of them were practically the same. Although at the moment Damon wasn't here after hearing what Dr. Parker had to say Damon had to leave so he sent Stefan to be with Scarlett whilst he went to help Elena who was struggling to hold down any type of blood since completing her transition. If that wasn't weird enough Tyler wasn't dead, nor was Klaus in fact The Big Bad Klaus had forced Bonnie to put his soul into Tyler's body. Not that Scarlett was surprised given that the hybrid had possessed Alaric when he first came to town, in fact Scarlett was barely surprised by anything that Klaus did, she knew to expect the unexpected with him. But the bigger shocker was that after what happened at Pastor Young's ranch the not so good Pastor and eleven other council members died in a supposed gas leak. Not that Scarlett cared too much…

"Is there somewhere else you need to be?" Scarlett demanded as she looked at Stefan stare at his phone for the ten millionth time since he had arrived. He had been visiting her sporadically since her admission and she could tell that Stefan didn't want to be here. Stefan had barely been home since Elena saga began and Scarlett knew he was avoiding her given how she chewed him out at Pastor Young's ranch.

"No." Stefan replied.

"Well would it kill you to feign like you do want to be here?" Scarlett retorted as she looked at the flowers in her room, somehow word had gotten round that she was in the hospital and people had been sending her flowers. Like Robert her boss at the grill and even Klaus! There were various flowers all arranged nicely by Caroline who showed up with Matt and Jeremy after school to check in on her. "Look all we're waiting for is Dr. Parker and then I'm free to go so relax already. I know you don't want to be here because you want to focus on Elena because she is a vampire now and that's very bad and terrible but for once could the attention not be on her? I'm the sick one here!"

Scarlett was interrupted in her mini speech by the sound of Stefan's phone which started ringing and with no regard to the fact that cellphones weren't to be used in hospitals, Stefan answered it. "Hello Elena? What's wrong…"

"Did you not just here what I just said?" Scarlett screeched not quite believing what was going on.

"Elena, I'm going to have to call you back… I have to deal with Scarlett." Stefan replied ending the call.

"Deal with me? When did I stop being your niece and becoming a thing that you have to deal with?" Scarlett demanded as she stood up from her bed and grabbed the pole that her portable heart monitor was attached to and made her way over to Stefan and Scarlett was going to chuck it out the window in hopes that it smashed into a thousand little pieces but then she remembered that she was the one paying for it. With her money that she earned from working at the grill. So Scarlett wasn't going to fling it out the window as far as she could. "I will not be dealt with like I'm a problem because that's Elena, I am your family Uncle Stefan! I am your niece… "

"Elena's having a difficult time at the moment…" Stefan began.

Scarlett scoffed. "Elena's having a difficult time? She's a vampire, she'll get over it eventually given that she can live for eternity now so her problems can take a back seat because at least she won't be in heart failure like I will be!"

"Heart failure…" Stefan slowly said. "Scarlett, are you in heart failure?"

"Not yet but in about ten years, it's going to be very likely." Scarlett quietly said, that was the results of all the cardio tests that Dr. Parker had done. Whilst she was fine at the moment, in ten years she'd need a new heart according to Dr. Parker given that her heart right now was coping okay with stress but over the next few years her heart would start to get weaken until it finally went into heart failure. He had told Scarlett today and it had taken a while for the information to sink in. It was harder for Damon to hear and he left the hospital soon after they both got the news. "So I can't see how Elena's having a difficult time when she's not the one with heart troubled given that she's a vampire. Now me on the other hand? I am having a difficult time as not only will I inevitably go into heart failure but I'll will also probably a new heart. So I think my heart problem trumps the fact that Elena keep down blood, so sit your ass down."

"I-I'm so sorry Scarlett…"

"Whatever! Just don't tell anyone else about as I don't want Radio Elena broadcasting this information to everyone else until I'm ready to tell everyone else..." Scarlett barked as she went and lay back down on her bed. But before she could tell Matt or Caroline, Scarlett had to tell her mother, which would no doubt kill Claire. Scarlett knew her mother was coming up for her birthday tomorrow but she couldn't tell her then, she'd have to wait for the right time to tell her news of this proportion.

"I thought I heard you, only one person I know has docile tones like that…"

Scarlett couldn't believe her eyes when she saw Kol standing in the doorway of her hospital room, which his typical arrogant smirk plastered on his face and brandishing a bouquet of yellow tulips; her favourites. He no doubt found out she was in hospital due to Klaus as she sure as hell didn't tell him given that they hadn't talked since their screaming match down the phone. "What on earth are you doing here?"

"Came to visit my girlfriend as I heard she was sick, apparently it's what boyfriends do have you seen her? She's quite tall with dark hair, beautiful blue eyes and quite the temper…" Kol quipped and Scarlett just rolled her eyes, if her thought buttering her up and showering her with compliments was going to make her forgive him then he did not know her at all. But a part of Scarlett was glad to see Kol although she wasn't willing to admit this as for now she was being aloof with her.

"Uncle Stefan, go wait outside or something…" Scarlett wearily said and Stefan looked at both Scarlett and Kol before eventually leaving.

"Hello gorgeous."

"I'm still angry with you over what happened Kol." Scarlett firmly said and Kol quietly scoffed before coming to sit on the side of Scarlett's bed. By the look in his eyes Scarlett knew that Kol was expecting nothing less from her and whilst before she would have been annoyed that Kol was getting rather good at reading her, now it didn't bother her so much. "Matt could have died because of Rebekah and if he had I would have never been able to see you again let alone forgive you."

"My sister was doing the right thing, by killing Elena she got rid of the Alaric problem so I think we're going to have to put this matter to the side gorgeous as we're kind of at an impasse and I know that you won't agree to disagree on the matter." Kol said and Scarlett just grumbled in agreement as the skinny little brat seemed to know what he was taking about.

"Alaric was my friend too and your crazy bitch of a sister killed her–"

"–Shut up!" Kol stated.

"Excuse me?" Scarlett demanded wanting an explanation for why Kol had just told her of all people to shut up as if she was someone who would give into her demands. Kol didn't answer her at first, instead she just grinned at seeing Scarlett so riled up and ever so slightly he moved closer to her until he kissed her. At first it took Scarlett off guard and she pulled away from Kol and slapped him, not that hard but hard enough so he would learn that he couldn't just stroll in here with his cocky grin that made Scarlett weak at the knees and kiss her when she was very much mad with him. It was unfair and Scarlett tended to get distracted by kissing Kol to remember why she shouldn't be kissing him. Kol had once described Scarlett's lips as the work of the devil but Scarlett strongly believe d that it was the other way round. Kol as per usual was not even put off by Scarlett's behaviour towards him in the slightest and much to Scarlett's dismay it just seemed to encourage him even more. And he kissed her again and this time Scarlett didn't stop him or slap him as beneath the anger she had missed him, she had spent the better part of the last few days trying to do whatever she could to protect him. Scarlett knew no matter what they argued about, and the two of them would argue a lot in the future given that she was Scarlett and he was Kol but it wouldn't change how she felt about him.

"I hate you." Scarlett murmured.

"No you don't gorgeous…"

"I do!" Scarlett retorted.

"I love you too." Kol said once he decided to stop kissing her Scarlett wanted to say something but before Scarlett could add anything further Kol pulled out a small velvet box from his pocket and held it out in front of Scarlett. "For you."

"What is it? An early birthday present?" Scarlett skeptically questioned, as she knew that Kol was perfectly aware that her birthday wasn't until tomorrow.

"No, just a token of my affection. You'll be getting your birthday present on your actual birthday Miss Salvatore. I saw this and I thought of you immediately…" Kol quipped and Scarlett reluctantly took the small box into her own hands. She wasn't used to someone giving her a gift just because they could, especially from Kol of all people. The natural skeptic in Scarlett believed that there was a catch to this. Even if it did come from her boyfriend.

"You knowing buying me a gift won't make me forgive you any quicker?" Scarlett stated as she idly turned the box over several times in her hand. She was pretty sure that it contained jewellery, as it was the perfect size jewellery box. The question was, what was in the small and pretty box and why did Kol want her to have it now instead of as a birthday gift. There was a lot of questions and Scarlett wanted some answers.

Kol smirked. "I know, you wouldn't be the woman I fell in love with if it did… Open it."

Rather reluctantly Scarlett opened the box and to say she was stunned by the contents was putting it lightly, inside the box was a ring; a lapis luzuli ring. But it wasn't like any lapis luzuli ring that Scarlett had ever seen before. The ring had an oval lapis luzuli ring in the center and it was surrounded by tiny little diamonds that went all around it and halfway around the band, which itself was a gold colour with this pink hue to it. Scarlett had never seen anything like it before and It was beautiful but it was a lapis luzuli ring and in there lay the problem and the aforementioned catch. It took Scarlett a while to gather her voice but when she did it was hoarse. "Is this what I think it is?"

"Depends on whether you see it as a daylight ring or an engagement one!" Kol quipped and Scarlett just sighed, she knew Kol was joking about the ring being a engagement ring but she failed to see the funny side at all.

"You know how I feel about both of them." Scarlett said, she had made it perfectly clear to Kol that she was not willing to become a vampire for a variety of reasons and she wasn't the firmest believer in marriage due to what happened to her parents and the lasting damage it had on her. "I can't accept this Kol, it's too much."

"Yes you can gorgeous and if you don't I'll just chuck it into the lake." Kol said and Scarlett knew that she was stuck with the damn ring no matter what now given that her boyfriend was not one for bluffing and if she didn't take it she'd throw it into the lake. And Scarlett couldn't have him chuck something this beautiful away even if the ring was a not so subtle hint about the possibility of her one day becoming a vampire one day and dear Scarlett think it, Kol's wife.

"If things end up the way they currently are, I may actually have a need for this…" Scarlett sadly said as she took the ring out of the box to examine it further. It was so light that she was afraid that it would break by holding it in her bare hands. "I have to tell you something Kol…"

"Okay gorgeous, I'm all ears." Kol joyfully said.

"It's not good Kol, I'm sick."

"I realized that gorgeous hence why you're in the hospital."

Scarlett shook her head, Kol didn't understand. "It's more complicated than that Kol, my heart condition atrioventricular reciprocating tachycardia; is getting worse in a manner of speaking. Right now it's okay and I'm managing it with a healthy diet and medication but that will only work for so long. In ten years my heart will start to fail…"

"What does that mean?" Kol asked and Scarlett could see the concern in his eyes more importantly the fear in them. She knew despite his best efforts to usually not show it, that he was worried about her safety. Scarlett was pretty sure that Kol had Klaus checking up on her occasionally when he wasn't in town.

"I'll need a new heart, I'll need a heart transplant." Scarlett explained and Kol looked at her in confusion and it reminded Scarlett that her boyfriend was not update with everything given that he had spent the better part of a hundred years in a coffin. "It means that my cardiologist Dr. Parker will start looking for a donor heart when I start getting really sick. There' a transplant list and people donate their organs be it when they are still alive or when they die. But like I said there's a list and the most sickest go to the top and it takes time to find the organs for a transplant as they've got match the blood type of the person who will receive them."

"I don't want you to die." Kol quietly said and Scarlett couldn't help but smile as she placed her hand on Kol's cheek.

"Kol I'm not that sick now, you see the wires coming out of my chest? Their hooked up to the machine that's making those beeping sounds… It's monitoring my heart and so far everything is good for now. I'm not anymore sick than I usually am but I will be someday and it's looking like ten years which may not be loads to you but to me it is a long time. So don't worry about it…" Scarlett assured him. Kol may drive her crazy and sure that hadn't exactly resolved their current problem but Scarlett had found someone who whilst prone to selfish acts put her needs and feelings first a lot of the time. Kol loved her more than anything, in fact he loved her unconditionally and he tried his best never to judge her. She didn't want to die if that meant leaving him and hurting him. But her heart problems aside Scarlett still had that feeling that she was going to die although she couldn't tell Kol that.

"I have something else for you gorgeous, you gave it to me to hold onto until we saw each other again and here we are…" Kol said pulling out Scarlett's locket and handing it over to her and Scarlett immediately put it back round her neck. Putting it back round her neck felt good, before her neck had felt naked as Scarlett was so used to having it there.

"You know tomorrow this locket will be seventeen? Damon gave it to me for my first birthday…" Scarlett noted. A part of her still couldn't believe that she was going to reach her eighteenth birthday. "You will be here for my birthday tomorrow, right? And meet my mom? She's really wants to meet you..."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world."


	96. Chapter 96

Damon sat in the library drinking his first scotch of the day, normally he wouldn't be up this early especially on a Wednesday morning unless there was some kind of crisis going on. But there wasn't anything of the such going on, however today was a special day. Today was Red's birthday, the fat little cherub baby who liked throwing her fists around who had grown up to be his impossibly brilliant, scarcastic, mean spirited and stubborn niece was now eighteen years old. The quite often bane of his existence was now deemed to be an adult by the legal system and that was the reason why Damon was up so early. If it was anyone else than Damon would still be in bed but everyone wasn't Red, they weren't the teenaged girl who could go from hanging out with him drinking apple juice whilst he drank his scotch discussing anything to everything to berating him about his bad habits. The kid drove him crazy on more than one occasions but lord did Damon love his niece. Although he'd never admit that out loud as he preferred to remain aloof about his affection towards Scarlett or Red had he called her, although Damon knew that she was well again.

"Is it ready?" Damon asked Stefan, not bothering to look at his brother despite knowing that he was there. He was referring to one of Scarlett's birthday presents that they were going to present to her this morning before she left for school.

"Yes…" Stefan solemly replied and the two of them fell into silence as there wasn't anything for either of them to say to each other after everything had happened the last couple of days with Elena. Although the two of them had agreed not to mention Elena in front of Scarlett today of all days for obvious reasons, then there was the other thing. Scarlett's heart. Damon was still trying to process the fact that she hadn't been making up stuff about her heart and it really was getting worse and she'd probably have to have a transplant in the next few years. "Look Damon…"

Fortantley for Damon, he was spared from having to make small talk with Stefan by the sound of a knock at the front door, which took him off guard because they weren't expecting anyone at this hour. Claire wasn't coming over until midday so it couldn't have been her. Relucantly getting up Damon left the library and trailed through the hallways of the boarding house, passing through the living room on his way to the door. When Damon finally got to the door, opening it he found that it was the last person who Damon ever wanted to see; Kol Mikaelson, Scarlett's punk ass original vampire boyfriend. "You…"

"Greetings!" Kol said with a fake cheery smile on his face before moving Damon out of the way so he could make his way into the house much to Damon's annoyance. He hated Kol and it wasn't just because he was dating Scarlett but that just made Damon hate the cocky Elijah/Klaus little vampire even more. So having Kol stroll into the house like he owned place just annoyed Damon even more. "Nice place, you have…"

"It's no extravagant vampire mansion." Damon retorted.

"Funny."

"What are you doing here?" Damon demanded although he had a pretty good idea of why he was here but Damon had the need to assert his dominance when Kol was around. The original just seemed to bring it out in him especially after what happened in Kansas.

"It's my girlfriend's birthday where else would I be? And where is the birthday girl?" Kol questioned looking around the house expecatnly as if Scarlett would just magically appear out of nowhere.

"Getting ready for school I assume, given that it's Wednesday and that's whats called a school day for kids who are still in school like my niece." Damon truthfully said hoping that itwould get Kol to leave but Damon knew the chances of that were going to be very slim. The thing about the annoying little vampire was that he was incredibly strong willed and very stubborn so it was going to be hard to get him to leave. "Try coming back later when she may have time to spare or maybe not at all. It's Scarlett's birthday and it's usually a family affair and you are most certainly not family…"

"But I am her boyfriend." Kol quipped and Damon could tell he wa saying that to rile him up to which he'd admit that it was working because he could still not comprehend that Scarlett was dating this tool bag. When Damon dound out about the two of them, he didn't take the news well and had literally hit the roof. He could not believe that Red of all people would go and fall for a vampire especially an original. Damon thought she knew better than that, he thought he had taught her better than that and to say he was very disappointed was an understatement. Him and Scarlett fell out completetly and whilst they were kind of patching things up, Damon still did not approve of the relationship although he had found himself asking for Kol's help to help kill his own mother, taking Scarlett home and then there was the other day when he told Scarlett to get Kol out of town as to avoid Alaric. None of that meant that Damon was okay with a vampire dating his only niece but he had done those things because of Scarlett. He wanted her to be happy although preferrly not with Kol.

"How long for remains to be seen." Damon replied with a smug tone of voice.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Kol asked taking a couple of steps towards Damon but Stefan stepped in the middle of the two and forced Kol to take a couple of steps back. Damon knew that Kol could take him but that didn't mean that he couldn't give the voerly arrogant and cocky vampire a verbal ass kicking.

Damon may not trust Kol but he sure as hell trusted

"You and Scarlett? Never going to work out… Sure your together now but you will not last because you're a vampire and she's human and trust me when I say she is never going to become a vampire. Scarlett is going to have an actual life, she's going to go to college and then come back and marry the Donovan kid and have lots of dark hair and blue eyed kids and carry on the Salvatore name. I'm telling you now that you will not be in her life in two years time and you'll just become a memory and better yet a regret."

"Is that so? And what if I don't like that plan? What if I want to do something about it." Kol asked.

"I'm going to tell you this once more, Red is not becoming a vampire and if you turn her I will kill you if it that means taking me down with you. Scarlett Salvatore is staying human for the remainder of her natural life!" Damon firmly stated as much as Damon disliked or rather Matt Donovan, he would much prefer it if Scarlett was dating him instead of Kol. And Damon would do anything to make sure she stayed human, he may have screwd her over several times but he wouldn't on this. Damon worried about Scarlett, outwardly he didn't display much worry for his wayward niece but recently he began to worry that history was going to repeat itself. Scarlett used to warn him and Stefan that history was going to repeat itself in terms of him and Stefan both being in love with Stefan. But it wasn't them who was repeating history, it was Scarlett and she was unaware that she was following in his footsteps.

"I have no intention of doing such a thing, it's not my choice it's hers and one that I very much respect…" Kol eventually replied. "You know something Damon Salvatore, you may be an arrogant not to mention annoying piece of vermin but it's clear that you care for Scarlett."

"She's my niece, of course I care. I love the little brat despite how much of a pain in the ass she can be and I would die for her no matter how stupid I think she is for falling in love with you of all people. Unlike you and your deranged relatives, family actually means something to the Salvatores and just so you know, we don't stick daggers in each others chest when we get pissed off with each other." Damon said, not exactly sure where this conversation was going.

"That's funny, considering that you left her to die in Kansas."

Damon would admit that was a very low blow which he should of seen coming. "Not one of my finer moments I'll admit that but we've both made our mistakes which both Red and I have both moved on from."

"For some reason I don't seem to believe that."

"And yet I don't seem to care what you think all that really matters to me right now is the girl upstairs… You know Scarlett? The girl with the broken heart and I'm telling you right now that you you break her heart, no… just so even put a crack in that fragile heart of hers then I'll hunt you down and kill you no matter what Scarlett wants." Damon truthfully said as like he mentioned before he loved Scarlett, she was Red and they were bitchy vampire uncle and even bitchier human niece. They were two peas in a pod and after losing Alaric she was the only best friend he had left. He had spent the better part of the year helping to raise her into the person that she was today and although Damon had never told Scarlett this, he was so proud of her. Given everything that she had went through and overcome the last thing he wanted was her to be hurt by Kol.

"You are sadly mistaken if you think you are the only ones here who care for her." Kol darkly said and Damon just rolled his eyes.

"She deserves better than you." Damon retorted.

"Could say the same thing about you… You don't like me and I sure as hell don't like you and I'd prefer it if you were dead and trust me I've wanted to kill you on several occasions. But the only reason why you're still alive is because of _her_. I am in love with Scarlett Salvatore and the last thing I ever want to do is hurt her. I have no intention of breaking her heart."

"She deserves better than you." Damon repeated again until he heard a sound, more specifically the sound of the creaky middle step on the staircase, which only creaked whenever you were going down stairs. Damon glanced over in time to see a pair of feet go running back up the stairs, which meant that Scarlett had most likely heard the majority of their conversation. Which was not good for him…


	97. Chapter 97

_Hey all finished uni for the summer so expect more frequent updates although the next update will probably take a few days as i have to figure out what Kol would get Scarlett for her birthday after giving her that ring so casually the day before..._

* * *

Scarlett ran back to her room and shut the door as quietly as she could, she wasn't a hundred percent sure that she had caught but she was about seventy percent sure that Damon had caught her eavesdropping. Scarlett didn't wait around to check if this was true, instead she ran back to her bedroom and was now back in bed hiding under her duvet like some coward. Scarlett didn't mean to eavesdrop, she was coming downstairs to grab breakfast before going to school and she couldn't help herself as her superb eavesdropping skills came from Damon but once she heard him and Kol talking she couldn't help but stop. Scarlett sat on the stairs and listened as Damon gave Kol 'the talk' now Scarlett had never been in a relationship before she had met Kol but even she knew what the talk was. It was a conversation typically between a father and the boyfriend of his daughter, however Scarlett's father was dead so she supposed that Damon was the only fitting substitute.

Scarlett heard him tell Kol that the two of them weren't last as she was going to move on with her life eventually, grow up and have her own family whilst Kol would remain trapped in his ageless body. Damon adamantly told Kol that he wasn't good enough for her and Kol eventually growing tired of Damon snapped back. Giving as good as he got and telling Damon that he loved her. In that moment Scarlett never loved the two of the more.

"You can get up now, I know that you're awake."

Peeking her head up from under the covers Scarlett saw Damon standing in the doorway of her room with an amused smirk on his face and slowly she sat up in bed. She was so busted and the two of them knew it and she watched as Damon came and sat next to her on her bed. "So…"

"So, your boyfriend is in town…" Damon said.

"I know he's been in town since yesterday, came to visit me in the hospital after he found out that I had been admitted. I knew he was going to show up today, I just didn't think it would be so early but Kol is the unpredictable kind…" Scarlett wearily noted before leaning over to her bedside table and picking up the same velvet box on the table and handing it over to Damon. "Speaking of his unpredictable behaviour, he gave me this."

"Is this what I think it is?" Damon asked and Scarlett could hear his voice slowly rising.

"Don't freak out, it's nothing… Look we both know I was eavesdropping and I heard you tell Kol that I wasn't going to become a vampire. I know you felt like you had to say it but Kol respects my decision Uncle Damon, he knows that I don't want to become a vampire… Just like he understands that this won't last between us as I've got to grow up, I need to go to college and do something with my life and then carry on the Salvatore line. I would spend forever with him Uncle Damon if I could, I really would but I have my responsibilities to take care of. He knows that as much as I do but we don't dwell on it much. For us, the two people who have time but then don't have time we just focus on the now…"

"Then why give you a ring?" Damon demanded.

"Kol plays it off a joke but I know better, I know to see beyond what meets the eye… he gave me this ring to show how serious he is about us and whilst he respects my decision about the whole vampire thing, the ring is also about if I ever change my mind about it. I know you have your opinions on him Uncle Damon but he's a good guy. I know the whole being a vampire and some of his actions don't exactly say that and Kol isn't perfect. But beneath the cocky and impulsive vampire is a good guy, you may not believe that but he's a good guy to me." Scarlett began.

"You know you are talking about the guy whose attacked me several times?" Damon stated.

"I know he has… But Kol had never hurt me, indirectly he's hurt people I care about but he has never laid a hand on me. He's different around me then he is with everyone else, if I ask him whether he'll love me till the day I die, Kol will say no and tell me he'll love me much longer than that. I can't explain the two of us in a way that you'd understand, our relationship isn't perfect because we aren't perfect, some days we'll be so in love and nothing else will matter to us except the way we'll feel. Then the next day we'll fall out and be screaming at each other and refuse to talk for days on end because we're both stubborn as hell. But I wouldn't change any of it, not one moment of it because I love him and I know that there are going to be the good days and bad days but I will always want him no matter what. I know you disapprove and probably want me to walk away, but I can't… At least not yet…" Scarlett admitted.

Damon sighed. "You really love him?"

"Afraid so."

"Dear lord Red, have I not taught you anything?" Damon questioned.

"Hey it could be worse, I could be in love with Klaus." Scarlett quipped in an effort to lighten things up but a look of horror appeared on his face

"Don't even joke about things like that." Damon grimly replied.

"I never got a chance to say this before but thanks for calling me a few days ago and giving me a heads up about getting Kol to leave town. I really appreciate it even if my recent actions haven't exactly said that." Scarlett said and Damon just grunted in response. "So this is me saying thank you for everything you do for me. I know I'm annoying little spore–."

"–You wouldn't be Red if you weren't an annoying little spore, now get up Red. The sooner your boyfriend is out of the house the happier I'll be... Oh by the way? Happy birthday Red!" Damon said and Scarlett followed his instructions and climbed out of bed. The two of them headed back downstairs to the living room where Stefan and Kol were both standing there in an awkward silence. Scarlett wouldn't have expected anything less.

"Hello gorgeous." Kol began making his way over to Scarlett and attempted to kiss her but she pushed him away, she'd rather not to public displays of affections with Kol in front of her family. Especially when Damon was only just starting to lighten up on the whole her dating Kol thing, they had taken a couple of steps forward and the last thing Scarlett wanted to do was send them a few stps back by pissing Damon off.

"We've got something for you Scarlett, it's outside if you want to see it now…" Stefan ominously began and instantly intrigued Scarlett nodded and made her way to the door but as she did Scarlett felt hands covering her eyes.

"W-what's going on?" Scarlett demanded.

"It's a surprise you idiot." Damon said and Scarlett said no more and just went along as complaining would do nothing and she wanted to see what this surprise was. Scarlett felt herself being led away out the front door and down the driveway and after a few moments the hands were removed her face and Scarlett looked around dumbly failing to see the car with the bright red bow on it for a few seconds before she finally saw it. It wasn't just any car; it was her Grandpa Edward's 1954 Silver Jaguar XK120 roadster.

"No way…" Scarlett hoarsely began before looking over at Stefan to check if this was actually happening because the last time she checked 'the car' as she referred to it mostly needed the brakes to be checked not to mention the problems with the engines needed to be fixed as it used to barely run. But that must not be the case anymore if it was sitting in the driveway as opposed to the garage.

"Yes, happy birthday Scarlett." Stefan simply replied and Scarlett squealed as loud as she could before running and leaping onto Stefan's back and continuing to squeal. There was one person who was behind all of this and it was Stefan, Scarlett knew that instantly and despite being mad at him over the whole Elena thing she hugged him as hard as she could and pressed several kisses on his cheek.

"It's the car! It's the car!" Scarlett squeaked as she climbed off Stefan's back and went back to looking at the car. It had been in her family for just over fifty years and Scarlett knew that her grandfather wanted her to have the car when she turned eighteen. She couldn't believe that today was actually the day.

"Am I missing something here?" Kol asked.

Scarlett rewarded Kol with a gentle shove. "Yes you idiot! This is my grandpa's car or rather it was my Nonno Edward's car, it's technically mine now… oh wow!"

"You okay?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine… I just wish he was here, I know that Nonno really wanted to be here along with Nonna, dad and Zach." Scarlett wearily began wiping her eyes as her emotions were beginning to overwhelm over just a bit.

"Why don't you take it for a spin?" Damon offered.

"I can do that?" Scarlett dumbly asked.

"Why you asking me? It's your car now…" Damon replied passing the keys to Scarlett and she wearily nodded before walking over to Kol who had her school bag with him surprisingly. "We'll see you both later."

Scarlett just went a long with it as she was a bit overwhelmed by it all even more so after she put the key in the ignition, turned it and heard her car come to life. It overwhelmed Scarlett that much that she was surprisingly quiet, even through the breakfast dinner that Kol had treated her to. It had been a weird morning with her overhearing the conversation between Damon and Kol, then her conversation with Damon and then the whole being given her grandfather's pride and joy – next to her of course to her as a birthday present. It was surreal as half the time Scarlett was worried that she'd die before she even reached her eighteenth birthday but here she was. Surrounded by her family, friends and a boyfriend all who loved her very much surprisingly enough. It was a far cry from last year when Scarlett was barely managing to carry on after Zach's death and her suicide attempt.

"You okay gorgeous?"

"I'm fine." Scarlett quietly replied as Kol snaked his arms around her waist.

"Benn awfully quiet, even for you! I thought you'd be even more happy given that it's your birthday today." Kol said.

Scarlett shook her head. "I don't really celebrate my birthdays much, growing up with no friends in this town my birthdays were just spent with my family and after my dad died I lost any excitement towards my birthday. Uncle Zach and I would celebrate it but it would be a quiet celebration over dinner and even then I'd just go about my day as if it was any other day. Every year It's just easier to not make a big deal out of it especially last year…"

"Well we're going to change that, your going to have a great birthday this year Scarlett Salvatore and do you want to know? It's because you didn't have me around!" Kol stated and Scarlett just laughed at the sheer arrogance of her boyfriend.

"Is that so?" Scarlett asked.

"Very much so gorgeous." Kol replied as he began pressing light kisses down Scarlett's jawline.

"About that sweet cheeks, we gotta talk about today and the little party that's being thrown that you don't think I know about. Look my mom is going to be there and it's a big deal Kol as it is the first birthday we'll spend together ever since she walked out. The last birthday she was there for was my third birthday. My mom being here is really important–" Scarlett stressed.

"–And I will impress and dazzle your mother with my good looks and my charm."

"That's great but my mom is pretty anti vampire for the most part so it's not going to be easy. Whilst she'll want to get know you as my boyfriend a part of her will be apprehensive as you're a vampire. I know that it's not your fault and I know this is hard for you, putting up with my friends and family especially Damon who dislike you and want you dead and I know I've said this a lot but it means so much to me that your trying. Damon is more than just my uncle as I'm sure you realize, he's also my best friend and the closest thing I have to a father figure. I know it's impossible for you to become best friends with everyone in my life but just for today I am asking for you to make an effort for me? Please? I'll make it up to you…"

"How?" Kol asked and Scarlett rolled her eyes.

"With my love." Scarlett replied wrapping her arms around Kol's neck.

"I already have that."

"Fine, I'll think up another way to show my gratitude." Scarlett quipped and moments later she realized how much of an innuendo that was and before she could even go red from embarrassment Kol kissed her. Whilst it had saved her from making a spectacle of herself Scarlett knew that it wouldn't last forever as the sex thing was bound to come up eventually.

"Your wish is my command my love, I will behave myself today to make you happy and I promise I won't snap any hands of hit anyone with a baseball no matter how much they annoy me." Kol murmured.

"Thank you…"

"Your happiness means everything to me, love hath made thee a tame snake…" Kol said and Scarlett frowned at the latter part of his sentence as Scarlett knew he was quoting Shakespeare in particular As You like It, Act 4, Scene 3. Now Kol may be way older than her by that didn't mean he wasn't the only one who could quote Shakespeare.

"I would not wish any companion in the world but you." Scarlett replied quoting Act 3, Scene 1 of the tempest back to Kol and she was rewarded with a small peck for her efforts. "Will you be okay whilst I'm at school?"

"Don't worry I'll find something to preoccupy myself with whilst your gone, perhaps I may even go and visit my siblings. I hear Nik and Bekah are on the odds at the moment which should be interesting to see. Do you want to wager how long it takes for my brother to dagger my sister again?" Kol stated and Scarlett just pushed him away.

"Your terrible!"

"And yet you love me anyway." Kol retorted.

"That I do." Scarlett replied as Kol made his way back over to Scarlett and placed his hands on the side of her face.

"Try not to have too much fun whilst I'm gone but I doubt that's highly likely, I'll be right hear when you come out of school and then the fun can really begin." Kol quipped and Scarlett just to laugh.

"With my birthday present?" Scarlett asked as she was very intrigued about this birthday present given that Kol did give her a lapis luzuli and diamond rind yesterday just before he could. So Scarlett couldn't help but wonder how on earth he was going to try and top that, not to mention Christmas was in a couple of months too.

"Perhaps." Kol quietly whispered and the next thing Scarlett knew he was gone, her boyfriend may be many things like egotistcal, bad tempered, cheeky and impulsive but Scarlett had to admit it, Kol did have a certain style of doing things.

* * *

It took Kol a while to track down his sister but eventually he had done it, he figured it was best that he find Rebekah first given the bad mood she was sure to be in. Not to mention he had spoken to Nik only yesterday when he was brother informed him of Scarlett being in hospital. Kol owed his brother for that one no no doubt, not that Klaus would be asking him for that Cavour to repaid given that he and Scarlett were friends in a weird way. But Kol felt obligated to repay his brother for keeping an eye on his girlfriend whilst he was gone and informing him of anything to do with her well being. So Klaus could wait, first Kol had to deal with Rebekah.

"Hello sister…" Kol began and Rebekah turned around to glare at him.

"About time you got here! I've been calling you non-stop for hours about Nik… Can you believe what he did to me? Picking Caroline over me" Rebekah began to rant and Kol just rolled his eyes.

"I'm sure that would be all very interesting if that was why I was here Bekah but I'm afraid that your squabbles with our brother is not why I returned to Mystic Falls." Kol interrupted.

"Enlighten me brother, why have you returned?"

"It's Scarlett's birthday today and what kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't show up to my girlfriend's special day? She's just turned eighteen and for humans it's a really momentous occasion…" Kol explained and Rebekah laughed which piped his interest. "And what may I ask is so funny sister?"

"You brother that's why's so funny. I thought you said settling for mortals was the first sigh of weakness but here you are fawning over Scarlett Salvatore like a little love struck puppy. If you say settling for mortals was the first sigh of weakness then what kind of weakness is calling them your girlfriend?"

Kol smirked as he slowly began to circle round his sister. "Oh I did say that and I stand by what I said before sister but what you fail to understand is that Scarlett Salvatore is no mere mortal, she is so much more than that. The most extraordinary woman I have ever met human or vampire…"

"That is until you get bored and stop sleeping with her." Rebekah stated and Kol felt himself getting very mad with what his sister was saying, although him and Scarlett were not at that level of intimacy yet Kol would not allow anyone not even his sister refer to Scarlett as some kind of trumpet when she was anything but.

"Watch your tongue sister! And let me assure you now that my interest in Scarlett has never just been purely physical, it is more than that." Kol retorted.

"You really do love her." Rebekah slowly said and after a moment she began to laugh and Kol allowed her to, Rebekah could laugh all she liked but in the end she was the one all alone whereas he had the love of a beautiful woman.

"Go ahead and laugh sister but I'm here to give you a warning Bekah, if you try that stunt you pulled with Elena on Scarlett or attempt to harm her in anyway I will make you suffer in ways you can't even imagine…"


End file.
